The Alvin Report convened a Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence (AI), moderated by Flora Fabyan, Managing Director of Bank of Industry Investment and Trust. Participants included experts like Dr. Tope Fasua and Wale Adedeji, along with key industry figures.
Opening Remarks and International Women’s Day
The Roundtable began with opening remarks from Chike Iroegbunam and Joseph Edgar. Given that the event coincided with International Women’s Day, Flora Fabyan invited panelists to share goodwill messages to women. Panelists acknowledged women’s progress and called for continued boldness and assertiveness.
AI Capabilities and Limitations
Discussions were initiated by Flora Fabyan, referencing Dr. Fasua’s perspective on AI’s limitations in “thinking out of the box.” The conversation explored AI’s pattern-recognition and process-optimization constraints, alongside projections of AI’s impact on job creation and elimination. Dr. Fasua emphasized the superiority of human intelligence and cited AI’s inability to execute physical projects as a key limitation.
Nigeria’s Strategic Positioning in the AI Landscape
The Roundtable explored Nigeria’s strategic positioning in the global AI landscape. Dr. Fasua questioned whether Nigeria would become a producer or remain a consumer of AI technology and stressed the importance of addressing ethical concerns, such as the misuse of Generative AI.
Economic Benefits and AI Adoption
Flora Fabyan engaged Wale Adedeji on AI’s economic benefits and job creation potential. Adedeji affirmed AI’s job-creating potential, explained the probabilistic foundations of AI models, and highlighted the significant financial investments driving AI’s economic impact. He advocated for government intervention to foster AI adoption, emphasized the role of open-source AI, and urged proactive engagement with AI. Flora Fabyan underscored AI’s broad impact and shared her experience using virtual assistants.
Integrating AI into Nigeria’s Economy
Flora Fabyan steered discussions toward the feasibility of integrating AI into Nigeria’s economy, considering infrastructural challenges and the informal sector. Wale Adedeji stressed the need for full commitment to AI integration, while Dr. Fasua cautioned against focusing solely on commercial applications and advocated for addressing developmental challenges. Concerns about inclusivity were raised by Fabyan, prompting discussions on the potential impact of technological advancements on local artisans. The potential of voice-activated AI systems in local languages to empower artisans was also highlighted.
Strategic National Engagement and Potential Negatives of AI
Flora Fabyan and panelists discussed strategic national engagement with AI, emphasizing multi-stakeholder conversations and the need to inform the President about AI’s relevance. The conversation addressed the potential misuse of AI for criminal activities, with participants noting AI’s dual role in both enabling and combating crime. The need for AI regulation was emphasized, but challenges due to the rapid pace of technological advancement were acknowledged.
Education, Adaptation, and the Future of AI
Panelists discussed the need to reimagine our way of life in response to AI. Flora Fabyan questioned the focus of Nigeria’s education priorities in the AI era. Participants expressed concerns about reforming the education sector and suggested a balanced approach to critical thinking and STEM education. The challenges of integrating AI into Nigeria’s informal economy were also discussed, with emphasis placed on public advocacy and individual responsibility in acquiring AI knowledge and skills.
Closing Remarks and the Way Forward
In closing, Dr. Fasua and Wale Adedeji called for collective effort and open-mindedness in navigating the AI era. Wale Adedeji likened AI to an indispensable utility. Flora Fabyan highlighted the need for continued work on AI ethics, governance, and societal impact, emphasizing multi-stakeholder involvement. The Roundtable concluded with remarks from Abdul-Aziz Mohammed.
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