The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Artificial intelligence

  • Artificial Intelligence: Blessing or a curse?

    Artificial Intelligence: Blessing or a curse?

    By Daniel Ighakpe

    Sir: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is currently one of the hottest buzzwords in the technology arena today, and with good reason. In the last few years, we have seen several innovations and advancements which used to be thought of as mere science fiction – a mere figment of one’s imagination, now slowly transform into reality. 

    For example, if you have watched movies such as ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ or ‘Terminator,’ you would have seen examples of humanoid robots often associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI). These robots used to exist only in the imaginations of the creators of such movies, but today AI robots are slowly transforming into a reality.

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a method of making either a computer, a computer-controlled robot, or a software, to think intelligently like the human mind. Artificial Intelligence is accomplished by studying the patterns of the human brain and by analysing what is known as the cognitive process – that is, the mental operation the brain performs to process information – including obtaining information, processing the information and then storing it in the memory to be accessed again. These AI studies result in the development of intelligent software and systems.

     Artificial Intelligence (AI) has a wide range of applications across several industries and domains.

    In the health care industry, AI-powered robotics could support surgeries that are located near highly delicate organs or tissues of the body, and therefore help to reduce blood loss or the risk of infection. It could also help in better diagnosis, better medical imaging analysis, better drug discovery and better medical treatment. In the finance industry, AI could help in fraud detection due to its capability to analyse large amounts of data. It could help to quickly detect anomalies or patterns that signal fraudulent behaviour, thereby helping to reduce the frequency of fraud in the financial services industry. In the technology industry, AI could help in cybersecurity – detecting and preventing cyber threats and enhancing response mechanisms.

    These are just a few examples of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is applied in various fields and some of the advantages or benefits include greater accuracy for certain repeatable tasks such as assembling vehicles or computers; decreased operational cost due to greater efficiency of machines; improved decision-making in certain situations; and so on.

    Read Also: Be patient with us, Speaker Abbas appeals to Nigerians

    However, as with any other concept or innovation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) also has its disadvantages and potential dangers. They include job loss due to increased automation, leading to greater unemployment; taking over our creative tools because of the desire for more efficiency instead of encouraging human creativity, especially in the artistic field; possible cybersecurity concerns; lack of transparency over how decisions are arrived at, resulting in less than optimal solutions; a potential to create misinformation as well as inadvertently violating laws and regulations.

    There is also the potential danger of using AI technology to create weapons that we cannot even understand and that could also fall into the wrong hands, which could be catastrophically dangerous to humans.

    So, although Artificial Intelligence (AI) has a range of exciting applications with the potential to transform our daily lives and how we work, it also poses many challenges. It is a complicated picture that often summons competing images: a utopia for some, a dystopia for others. The reality is likely to be much more complex. 

    So, will Artificial Intelligence (AI) eventually be a blessing or a curse? Only time will tell to what extent it will be used – either for good or for bad. With great power comes great responsibility, after all!

    • Daniel Ighakpe

    Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos.

  • Artificial intelligence

    Artificial intelligence

    Artificial intelligence did not begin with the new technology. Humans were artificial before they made a technology for that name. But in Nigeria, we are having our own special version of that phrase, a false human artifice. Literally, it means intelligence to bring about an unnatural outcome. It was a warning from Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, that turned this essayist to that new trend. He warned contractors in the state not to exploit rising inflation to delay contract execution. Deadline, he says, is deadline. He implied contractors tend to delay in order to scale up contract sums, what is called contract variation.

    This shows two things. One, the governor is not part of a trend in the country where governors encourage contractors to temporize on their work in order to escalate pay. Two, he is unwittingly alerting the nation to a new trend of sabotage in the land. Just a few days later, Minister David Umahi held a meeting with cement makers on price gouging. It was a polite meeting, but he meant the cement merchants were fattening on the poor. The books show that they can make profit without hitting the roof with prices.

    Artificial intelligence is, therefore, another word for sabotage. They are creating an artificial society. While the west is creating an artificial society by introducing new gizmos with bells and whistles to simplify life, ours heap burdens on ourselves. We are seeing this in the artificial scarcity some are imposing by taking food out of the sight of Nigerians. Vice president Kashim Shettima raised the alarm over 32 routes through which saboteurs are taking food out of the country. Scarcity raises prices. The food prices are up, but they are artificial. While the Kano emir was sending a message to the president that people are hungry, 10 warehouses were hoarding food under his royal nose.

    Shall we not know that even the dollar rise and suffering naira is also artificial? Are the bank chiefs not the conduits of unrighteousness? They round-trip and grow fat while the naira squeals in pain. Now, the CBN is trying to stop what is called spoofing, whereby unscrupulous persons speculate on crypto-currencies to create apocryphal demand and supply. The playwright Moliere in his play, The Imaginary Invalid, noted that “most men die of their own remedies, not of their own diseases.” We have food, but we choose starvation. It is not only sabotage but treason. It is not for lack of food supply. They give the impression that we have no food, and farmers are not getting yields. Shadowy goons want to bring down this country. It is a chess game of the absurd.

    Read Also: 65 CSOs pull out from planned Labour’s nationwide protest

    It is the same way N23 trillion was printed with nothing to show for it. They ambushed the airlines to claim imaginary debts that auditors have exposed. Out of over $7 billion  they ferreted out of the CBN, about three billion dollars had no companies or businesses or addresses. Corruption is another word for artificial intelligence. The technologists call it deepfake, but it is Nigerian deeptake. Deepfake reminds one of Franz Kafka’s line, “I was ashamed of myself when I realized life was a costume party; and I attended with my real face.” We need to see the real faces of these miscreants.

    Governor Oborevwori has put his contractors on notice. In that same way, we need collective vigilance against all the enemies of progress who do not wish the country well. They are turning Nigeria into an imaginary invalid like the doctor in Moliere’s play who keeps creating illnesses for himself. We are our own remedy. Let us not be our own curse.

  • Artificial Intelligence here to stay but is Africa ready?

    Artificial Intelligence here to stay but is Africa ready?

    • By Timi Olubiyi

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects and adoptions are sweeping the world like wildfire and are one of the most disruptive technologies to watch out for in 2024 and beyond. This technology, known as Artificial Intelligence (AI), is simply put, as the imitation of human acumen in machines. This technology is gaining more prominence in many parts of the world and will intensify more in 2024.

    In my view, and considering the impact AI has had on living and livelihoods, it is believed that AI has enormous potential to transform various sectors in Africa, be it in business, consumer experience, education, agriculture, health, governance, or finance. It has the potential to change the way companies operate fundamentally, it will continue to drive innovation, and if applied reasonably, it has the potential to improve the lives of millions across Africa.

    Yet, the implementation of AI in Africa is still in its infant phase, as most of its applications are pilot or experimental. Even though in Africa, financial services, agriculture, and healthcare are all sectors that could utilize AI. AI is currently being implemented sparingly for instance in the financial services sector to facilitate financial inclusion, and customer service improvements.

    One tendency that AI possesses is the ability to increase unemployment due to its adoption in routine and predictable daily operations. But the potential of AI in Africa, particularly in solving social and environmental problems such as poverty, hunger, healthcare, education, language technologies, water supply, clean energy forecasting, climate change predictions, and security are unlimited. In fact, Africa could be transformed with the power of AI applications to change how businesses operate, facilitate more innovation, and improve the lives of millions across the continent. This could lead to improved well-being, quality of life, and business resilience, which could be addressed by some AI  business solutions. But the big question is, are Africans and African leaders ready?

    With artificial intelligence, small businesses can help foster innovation and social entrepreneurship that could help curb some of the age-long challenges in Africa and improve job creation in another realm. With a growing population of over 1.4 billion people and with 70% under the age of 30, the continent is ripe for these AI investments. According to records, African population is expected to grow by 1.76% by 2050, reaching approximately 2.5 billion from 1.36 billion in 2020. This means that adequate attention must be given to the young and growing population because the young folk on the continent are a crucial resource that presents opportunities for economic growth and competitive, but innovative ideas. The young people should be the workforce ready to take on the technological revolution and drive AI progress in Africa. Still, they need to be incentivized and prepared for a forefront role in the technological revolution if Africa is proactive. But the current bane to this is the insufficient investment in research and development, the general lack of institutional capacity and huge skill gaps amongst these youths. So, African leaders must show unwavering commitment to the Artificial Intelligence agenda by focusing on research, funding, building capacity and skills, and engaging in long-term partnerships world over.

    Read Also: Nigeria and Artificial Intelligence Phenomenon

     Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to impact almost every industry on the continent, and for example, with agriculture and production, AI models could be used to optimize yields and production value chain. In the area of food insecurity, the use of AI applications can help identify or predict crop and animal diseases and forestall disasters. Therefore, agriculture is a strategic sector that needs improvement across Africa, and AI should be a critical part of the solution to achieve sustainability.

    In the banking and financial sectors, AI could help automate and predict more customer transactions in the commercial banking and capital market space and so on. Though records show that Africa missed the first, second and third industrial revolutions’ significant participation, the continent should be determined not to miss the fourth and fifth. So Africa cannot sit back and wait. The time to be proactive is now.

    In conclusion, due to the paucity of comprehensive AI regulations and policies across Africa, cyber security challenges are central concerns. Therefore, since the existing laws and legislations cannot regulate AI operations adequately, and the regulatory framework to set the rules of engagement is still limited then to protect the social fabric, norms and safety of people and avoid unintended consequences, African governments should think ahead and formulate regulations and legal frameworks to guide the usage of AI. The role of African governments in nurturing a conducive environment for AI technological adoption is key and non-governmental organizations with other stakeholders need to assist as well by considering investments in AI infrastructure.

    • Dr. Olubiyi, an Entrepreneurship & Business Management expert writes via drtimiolubiyi@gmail.com.
  • Nigeria and Artificial Intelligence Phenomenon

    Nigeria and Artificial Intelligence Phenomenon

    Artificial Intelligence refers to the ability of computers to perform tasks traditionally expected of humans.  The rapid rate at which Artificial intelligence (AI) is growing and its impact across ecosystems and value chains is so fast that Countries and organizations that do not take the advent of AI seriously will not only be left behind in development but will suffer the devastating consequences of its threats and risks. 

     In terms of opportunities and impacts, it is expected that AI will be a key growth and development driver of defense intelligence, business intelligence, business processes re-engineering, cost efficiencies, operational efficiencies, increased productivity, profitability, security, sustainability, resource allocation optimization, value chains optimization, etc.

     The emergence of AI is so important that on 2nd November (about 56days ago), some world leaders met in England, UK, where the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, hosted a two-day inaugural AI Safety Summit with leaders from 28 nations, including the United States and China, in attendance. The leaders agreed to work towards a “shared agreement and responsibility” about AI risks, with plans in place for further meetings to be held in South Korea and France shortly after. The summit has agreed on the importance of mitigating risks posed by rapid advancements in the emerging technology of artificial intelligence. It is worthy of note that one of the key game changers for a global paradigm shift is the emergence of Artificial Intelligence as a precursor to the 4th Industrial Revolution. 

    While the 4th industrial revolution is unraveling, Nigeria is grappling with socio-economic headwinds occasioned majorly by corruption and critical infrastructure deficit. Therefore, the following posers came to my mind as I pondered about the current and future situation of Nigeria at this critical phase of global evolution: 

    •What is Nigeria’s strategic outlook with regard to the production and digital economy,  and based on that;

    •What is the position of AI as a strategic enabler for the security, and socio-economic development of Nigeria, going forward? 

    •Will the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu leverage AI by laying the foundation and setting up the strategic pillars to build on? This is so, especially with the growing number of our youths going into the tech space with high levels of skill sets and potential. 

    •How is Nigeria currently positioned as a Country to leverage technology and key into the AI phenomenon in defense, manufacturing, financial services, transportation, logistics, Oil and Gas, Telco, Health, education, etc. in both Public and private sectors? 

     With the current momentum at which AI is growing, it is imperative for Nigeria to position itself properly for that reality. Therefore, the timing for the baby steps is very important at this point in time before the major steps are taken. Otherwise, AI will just be a mantra in Nigeria while the world continues to move on. If that happens, Nigeria – the African Giant will continue to stumble with disastrous consequences. 

     Ongoing AI Initiatives in Nigeria via NITDA

    I commend ongoing AI research and development initiatives by the Federal Ministry of Communications Innovation and Digital Economy through the Nigeria Information Technology Development Authority (NITDA), which includes the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics – in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS).

     Furthermore, in addition to some other AI initiatives, three months ago; NITDA unveiled the Nigeria Artificial Intelligence Research Scheme, which provides up to N5 million in grants to tech startups and researchers. The initiative is aimed at fostering a vibrant and sustainable AI ecosystem in Nigeria by providing financial support and facilitating knowledge sharing and collaboration among individuals and organizations in the AI industry to enable the building of a sustainable AI ecosystem. I hope that such initiatives will be more robust and sustained in a fair, equitable, and transparent manner across the entire Country with a level playing field and equal opportunities for all so that we can get the best.

    Some challenges and risks Cybersecurity

    Basically, AI algorithms rely heavily on the quality and diversity of the data. Therefore, the growth of AI will further complicate and endanger our Cyberspace unless drastic, sustainable steps are taken by the Government and all concerned. In essence, it is either we fully control AI or AI will take on us in ways and means that could be beyond our control. Cybercriminals and cyber terrorists will leverage and upscale their machinations to further escalate our current multidimensional insecurity situations. Securing AI models and ensuring data privacy will be key to maintaining trust in AI-driven solutions. Therefore, AI should be a key consideration by the stakeholders in Nigeria in trying to contain, anticipate, pre-empt and proactively deal with all the risks e.g. criminality, terrorism, etc. 

     Intellectual Property Protection

    AI presents a threat and risk to the intellectual property of humans in areas of patent, trademark, brand, copyright, etc. Therefore, it is imperative that organizations (public or private) formulate policies that will effectively protect the intellectual properties of creators, and innovators (individuals and entities). Otherwise, there are potential negative outcomes including the de-motivation to create and/ or innovate. The values that are created/ innovated MUST be PROTECTED to assure SUSTAINABILITY, and SUSTAINABILITY IS KEY.

     Strategic imperatives

    Trends and Outlook

    According to Statista:

    •The market size in the Artificial Intelligence market is projected to reach US$241.80bn 

    2023.

    •The market size is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2023-2030) of 17.30%, resulting in a market volume of US$738.80bn by 2030.

     According to PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) Research: $15.7 trillion is the projected global economic growth that AI will provide by 2030.

    Read Also: Artificial Intelligence: What teachers and students need to know

     The above-mentioned data underscore the importance of AI in national development. I am also of the opinion that one of the critical success factors to achieve the strategic objective of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to make Nigeria a $1Trillion economy in 7 years is the application of AI in Defense, Financial Services, Digital Economy, Manufacturing, Creative sector (which include art, crafts, design, fashion, music, advertising, architecture, performing arts, games, TV, Radio, etc.), the blue economy, etc. The availability of critical infrastructure, especially power with AI will be key to the achievement of this audacious objective of President Tinubu. Hence, it is very important to lay a solid foundation at this point in time, in terms of strategy, legislation, policy formulation, funding, and implementation. The AI phenomenon is a reality every Country and society should prepare to face, albeit Nigeria is far behind even in consolidating the 3rd industrial revolution phase.

     I hope that organizations in the private sector have already factored AI into their ICT and Corporate Strategic Blueprints as of 2021 or at worst from 2024. Otherwise, in the next 3 years Companies will not be able to cope with the speed of changes and the consequences of this strategic mistake will be dire!

     Critical infrastructure:

    The key inhibitor to Nigeria’s socio-economic growth remains infrastructure deficit particularly, Power, Intermodal transportation, etc. For decades the issue of infrastructure deficit has bedeviled Nigeria with negative impacts on the Digital and production economy thereby stunting the growth of the Digital Economy. So, addressing the Power issues as a matter of priority is critical for any meaningful progress.

     Governance: Legislation, Policies and Regulations

    I advocate that the 10th National Assembly and the Executive Arm of Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will fast-track the enactment of relevant legislation and policies to enable the entrenchment of AI into our national development strategy, going forward. However, it is also very important that we domesticate some of the policies to suit our national and subnational peculiarities. 

     With the increasing use of AI, there is a need for a comprehensive governance framework for AI strategies and operations. There should be a robust impact assessment, risk assessment, and management framework, established legal concepts, operational controls, and regulatory frameworks. Regulations must be in place to identify risks and issue guidelines and procedures on the usage of AI and the consequences for non-compliance. This should apply to the public and private sectors 

    Education

    The need to inculcate Machine Learning and other key skill sets in our schools’ curricula, especially from the Senior Secondary School level is very important.  So, from an Education/ human capital development perspective, inculcating the Machine Language, OPEN AI, ChatGPT and other AI tools at an early stage of the education of our youth will further increase the skillset opportunities for our youth to compete in the AI ecosystems. Domestically, we need those skillsets encrusted and to be part of our development plan going forward. While the G20 Countries are synergizing and collaborating in looking at the benefits, challenges, and threats of AI while contemplating how to contain the reality of AI from strategic, operational, and policy perspectives, Nigeria needs to consider, as a matter of national priority, the place of AI in our national development strategy. 

     Conclusion

    What should remain etched in the minds of Nigerians, especially leaders, is the fact that AI is a reality; the earlier we seize the moment to deal with the fundamentals and the building blocks, the better our chances of catching up (if possible) with the rest of the world.

  • Artificial Intelligence: What teachers and students need to know

    Artificial Intelligence: What teachers and students need to know

    By Ganiu Bamgbose

    Artificial intelligence does not come with the options of “to be” or “not to be” in academia. If nothing, the intelligence that is included in the term makes it “a child of necessity” to intellectuals. To say artificial intelligence is not welcome for scholarly activities is like a farmer saying a tractor is not welcome on his farmland. Matter-of-factly, to question or dispute the relevance and deployment of artificial intelligence in research works by either established or budding scholars will, in my opinion, be barbaric.

    Britannica defines artificial intelligence as a term “frequently applied to the project of developing systems endowed with the intellectual processes characteristic of humans, such as the ability to reason, discover meaning, generalize, or learn from past experience”. It is the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. Artificial intelligence combines the intellectual knowledge of different fields such as computer science, physiology, and philosophy.  There are several approaches to this interdisciplinary science of artificial intelligence. To solve real-life problems, scientists and researchers apply distinct methods to this advanced technology and improve computer machine functionality.

    In their book titled “Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach”, Norvig and Russell mention four different artificial intelligence approaches: Thinking humanly – mimicking thought based on the human mind; Thinking rationally – mimicking thought based on logical reasoning; Acting humanly – acting in a manner that mimics human behaviour; Acting rationally – acting in a manner that is meant to achieve a particular goal.

    What comes next to mind with the recent debates on the use of artificial intelligence in academic tasks is the question: is artificial intelligence any recent? With the advent of google in 1998, we can say confidently that artificial intelligence has been with us formidably since over two decades. It is indisputable that artificial intelligence has been instrumental in the ease of research for academics and students alike. Only a scholar who still subscribes to traditional pedagogy would question the relevance of artificial intelligence. Traditional pedagogy primarily relies on lecturer-centred instruction, where an expert imparts knowledge to passive learners. This method is based on the authoritative knowledge of the teacher and textbooks with disregard for interactivity, collaborative effort and technological affordance. A scholar in the 21st century should not hold tightly onto traditional pedagogy.

    Read Also: Renewing the hope of Nigerians

    So, if artificial intelligence has come to stay and is evidently of advantage to academia, the next concern is whether it comes with challenges or not. Most definitely, it does. Several, in fact.

    Phenomena are hardly static. They grow or decline. The rapid growth of artificial intelligence has become a big threat to human intelligence. Human intelligence has been explained as a collection of common mental traits such as creativity, perception, and memory. Artificial intelligence is not capable of human ingenuity. Human ingenuity is the way in which human minds have influenced how we think, work, play, construct and conduct friendships and other relationships, interact with each other, find solutions to problems, cause problems, transform things and rationalize thought. While artificial intelligence serves as a veritable tool in the hands of a researcher, a budding scholar or a student, it cannot take the place of human intelligence which involves practical assessment of real-life situation and discernment. 

    To properly narrow this to the academic environment, the advent of certain kinds of artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is resulting in diminishing return for human intelligence. There is the preponderance of knowledge seekers yet a dwindling number of knowledgeable people. 

    Wikipedia explains ChatGPT as a chatbot developed by OpenAI and launched on November 30, 2022. Based on a large language model, it enables users to refine and steer a conversation towards a desired length, format, style, level of detail, and language. If you seek a five page document on any topic or subject on ChatGPT, you certainly will get it almost immediately.

    This tool has become the succour of lazy students in recent times.  They deploy it as a complete replacement for their own intellectual input rather than being a useful guide or insight into their research interest. You have to be sensitive as a lecturer or supervisor to detect this complete plagiarism and not to even applaud your fraudulent students.

    One of the simple ways to detect this intellectual fraud is that the ChatGPT does not reference existing works on the subject matter, and if it does, it does not reference locally relevant studies and authorities, and cannot appropriately contextualise a study. You therefore must read carefully for traces of appropriate contextualisation to detect the complete use of ChatGPT or otherwise. But again, is the use of ChatGPT and other forms of artificial intelligence wrong? Of course no! Times have offered them to us and we have to utilise them, but not as a replacement for human intelligence and input.

    For researchers, budding scholars and even students, seeking general or background knowledge on any topic through these platforms is not against academic ethics, but this must not replace human ingenuity, proper domestication of knowledge, and application of insights to one’s peculiar situation. 

    In conclusion, artificial intelligence has come to stay and nobody’s validation is needed on this reality. However, artificial intelligence cannot, at least for now, serve as a replacement for human intelligence and ingenuity. Therefore, it is a gift for us to use, but not to abuse. 

    • Bamgbose, PhD, writes from the Department of English, Lagos State University.

  • ‘Embrace artificial intelligence to enhance food safety’

    ‘Embrace artificial intelligence to enhance food safety’

    A food safety expert and pioneer president of the Mycotoxicology Society of Nigeria (MSN), Prof Stephen Fapohunda, has called for the immediate application of artificial intelligence (AI) in food safety activities in the country. 

    Fapohunda made the remark while addressing the 16th annual MSN conference hosted by the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Ondo State.

    A statement from MSN qouted Fapohunda who was the lead speaker as saying that there was the need for stakeholders to embrace AI to be abreast of global research and development in food and nutrition systems.

    Fapohunda said the emerging AI–powered tools are capable of advancing and transforming food safety practices and outcomes “thereby ensuring that the food we consume is safe and of the highest quality”.

    He added: “Virtually all aspects of mycotoxin research are now positively influenced by AI.”

    The statement reads: “The food safety activist listed critical areas of achieving cheaper and faster outcomes as the on-field prediction and detection of fungi and mycotoxins, analyses of food samples by intelligent equipment, smart targeting using drones to broadcast bio-pesticides, removal of mycotoxins from animal feed as well as data analysis and report writing.

    “Fapohunda recalled that Nigeria still has an unresolved food safety issue with the European Union (EU) since 2015 and called for a conscious and holistic effort to align the country with the UN by preventing food fraud through compliance with set standards on contaminants.

    “He hailed recent contribution of the EU in supporting five Nigerian universities to run a programme in AI.

    “MSN president, Dr Yemisi Agboola said Mycotoxicology is an evolving field that requires members to remain at the forefront of innovations.

    Read Also: NAFDAC partners varsity on research, food safety, others

    “She listed a few activities of the society in the past year, including participating in the making of the National  Food Safety law, collaborating with USDA on food safety systems in Nigeria,  contributions at the World Mycotoxin forum that was held recently in Antwerp, Belgium, as well as the increased awareness among Nigerians.

    “The chief host and vice-chancellor of the university, Prof. Adesegun Fatusi expressed willingness to support every research that can enhance the quality of human health and promote the university’s image. He also pledged to support MSN activities in future.

    “The president of the International Society for Mycotoxicology (ISM), Prof Sarah de Saeger, said there is need for the reduction of mycotoxins in foods to enhance human health and to align with the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). De Saeger who addressed the conference virtually reiterated the willingness of the international body to partner with the MSN at all times to achieve the global goal of food safety.

    “Other speakers were Prof Chibundu Ezekiel, Dr Jannie Dubois (USA) and Dr Carol Verheecke-Vaessen (Cranfield, UK). The highlight of the event was the presentation of an award to Taiwo Adesina, a post-graduate Microbiology student of the University of Ibadan, who cleared all the available prizes from the ISM, World Mycotoxin Journal and the MSN.

    “The event was attended by farmers, feed millers, commodity traders, researchers, regulatory agencies, solution providers and exporters.”

  • Kate Isa- AI, researchers making Science relevant in the 21st Century

    Kate Isa- AI, researchers making Science relevant in the 21st Century

    Artificial Intelligence! That interestingly is the topic on almost every lip at the moment. Humanoids, well-defined research trajectories, and discoveries.  It has become the most sought-after and can transform virtually every sector as well as everyday life from relationships, fashion, communication, transportation, to businesses and much more.

    The subject matter popped up at a recent forum organised by the Scientific Products Association of Nigeria (SPAN) with the theme: “Science in the 21st Century: Making Science Relevant in Nigeria.”

    “At a recent panel on technology uptake in Africa, someone said Africa has been very successful in the uptake of technology, and I was thinking to myself -which Africa? Where? How? Then they went deeper, talking about AI (Artificial Intelligence), drone applications; facial recognition; they were just talking about utilization of AI products and not innovation in the space,” Kate Isa, Chief Executive Officer of The Katchey Group and the first female President of SPAN informed.

    Science, the experts noted, is a veritable vehicle for national growth and development. Industrialization of nations would not have been possible without science and technology. So the big question is: How have we fared in Nigeria?

    “It’s been an evolution, a process, and for us, it is not a sprint but a marathon. So, wherever we get to, we see what others have done; we stand on their shoulders and continue to project further. While we have been focusing on the higher level of science education over the years, climbing the tree from the top for so long, we must now go to the roots, focusing on primary and secondary education and going all the way to tertiary institutions”.

    Read Also: ‘Artificial intelligence will usher in new fiscal opportunities’

    Unfortunately, most times, when we don’t tackle the underlying factors, an unintended set of consequential reactions happen, she reasoned.

    According to Isa, “Everything boils down to starting from the foundation, adopting the right policies, creating an enabling environment with all hands on the deck, all backed with adequate funding. The low-hanging fruits are where AI can derive. It will be to upgrade and update our curricula for science education from analogue to digital. It is much cheaper and easier to do so. Digital science being evidence-based, the students will find learning science very interesting. STEM-based science laboratory equipment provides the ability for the students to download Apps on their smartphones that enable them to continue their experiments after they leave the laboratories, instead of just doing social media things on their phones. They would do evidence-based science practicals and it would be interesting and engaging to them and could continue to the point where they become researchers, inventors, and innovators”.

    Working with young scientists as well as fostering collaborations at the national, regional, and international levels are things that the Association has also done very well. “With medical research and drug discoveries now done at the molecular levels, informed by the genetic characteristics of the specific demography of interest, the Research on cancer is gaining a lot of attention, especially for the discovery of treatment solutions that would be effective for specific demography. We at SPAN foster collaborative engagements where research institutions, such as the Oncology department at a Nigerian university that won the World Bank Center for Excellence funding, is collaborating with the adjudged best hospital for cancer treatment in Nigeria in the efforts to research and develop treatment solutions that are targeted to our local population, based on our unique gene pool. As they research in the land, they can have the genetic information they need to begin to do clinical trials to find solutions to Nigeria’s and indeed, Africa’s peculiar cancer cases; so that whatever solutions they are finding would be suitable and workable for our people. We are using our unique position to do this. We are also working with international and multinational partners to attract resources and to organize webinars for our customers in manufacturing, oil & gas,  regulatory, research and educational sectors of the economy”.

    Isa also takes you through some of the recent achievements and challenges.

    “It is therefore not surprising that nations that do not formulate the right policies and investments needed to advance science and technology greatly underperform those that do, in all facets of human life.”

    Nigeria, Isa stressed, is an apt example of the former while the United States of America is an example of the latter. “Let’s take a deep dive into Nigeria! The consequences of the absence of intentional policies to advance science and technology and therefore unleash their inherent benefits for the development of the nation are abundantly obvious in the various areas of our socio-economic life.”

    To understand the situation in the country and buttress her point, the SPAN president focuses on three areas that include education, scientific research, and manufacturing.  “We see this lack of interest and investment in science and technology in our educational systems and their outputs, where Nigerian children, from elementary school to the universities, continue to be taught science subjects based on analogue curricula and with analogue science laboratory equipment and apparatus.”

    Unfortunately, the methodology cannot take the students and the country to the desired Promised Land.

    “How can they compete in today’s digital world?” Isa asked rhetorically.

    She continued, “Is it any wonder that our top-scoring science graduates choose to be makeup artists and fashion designers? John, my makeup artist, graduated second class upper in Biotechnology from UNILAG, my Alma Mata! James who graduated top of his class in Chemistry saw Gas Chromatograph for the first time when we hired him as a model to shoot content for promotional collaterals for our laboratory! He was so enthusiastic that he even asked to be considered for an internship position at our lab”.

    She opined that our graduates cannot compete effectively on the global scene without modernized science curricula and equipment, and the appropriate STEM pedagogies for science education which will effectively train them to become researchers, innovators, and inventors who would discover and develop products and solutions for our people from the abundant resources our nation is richly endowed with. Only Nigerians would invest their lives to pursue these goals. People from other countries would focus on finding solutions for their people and their countries.

    Isa takes you through the lapses from the educational institutions, research institutions, processes, and outcomes. “From personnel who may not have been educated with the right tools and curricula, to institutions which are not adequately equipped for modern science research and discoveries, to policies which underrate the importance of science and technology and therefore do not prioritize them in budgetary allocations, our science research institutes are not able to play the important roles of innovating and discovering products and solutions for our peculiar needs”.

    “Not much R and D happens in Nigeria” she noted. “Most of our manufacturers engage in ‘fill and finish’, and this is most unacceptable. It is important to note that most products are researched and developed with considerations for specific human and environmental factors and parameters”.

    On his part, the Vice President of SPAN, Mr. Oladapo Sonola of One Network, recognised some of the Association’s founding fathers and pioneer organizations, recalling memorable moments, challenges, and opportunities.

    “SPAN, a non-profit association of leading Nigerian manufacturers and providers of laboratory equipment, chemicals, consumables, and supplies started in 1986 when there were just four or five organisations at the time. SPAN went up and down, until ten years later when it was revived during the tenure of Chief Nwaije of Finlab. The whole idea is to be an association to harness the works of member companies.  It is to create an association of national standards that would represent the interests of manufacturers & suppliers of the laboratory value chain in Nigeria, bearing in mind the needs and aspirations of our members. We regulate our members through ethical practices. We take integrity seriously, and we ensure that we have members who would definitely do things correctly. The whole idea is to correct a lot of ills that we have in the society, which comes when quality and standards are compromised “.

    Sonala adds: “The first step to being a member of the association is that you must submit yourself to the level of integrity that is expected of you, a level that every Nigerian would be proud of.”

    He continued: “We also ensure that we create a conducive forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions, offering advice to the powers that be. We will continue to promote scientific innovations and best practices.  When we say best practices, these are time-tested international practices, so you can achieve what the person in London achieves”.

    The Association plans to continue its clarion call to all relevant policyholders and stakeholders at all levels, with advocacy visits in the coming weeks.

  • ‘Role of Artificial Intelligence in improving early disease detection’

    ‘Role of Artificial Intelligence in improving early disease detection’

    Diabetes is a growing global health crisis, particularly in low-resource settings where access to healthcare is limited. Millions of people remain undiagnosed until severe complications arise due to the high cost of traditional diagnostic methods and a shortage of medical facilities. 

    This challenge calls for innovative solutions that can enable early detection, improve disease management, and reduce healthcare burdens. Predictive analytics, powered by machine learning and data science, is emerging as a game-changer in bridging this gap, offering cost-effective, scalable approaches for identifying individuals at risk before symptoms manifest.

    Building on this advancement, recent research explores the development of predictive models that analyze demographic and clinical data to detect diabetes risk early. By leveraging machine learning techniques, these models provide a more accessible and affordable alternative to conventional diagnostic tools, which are often out of reach for underserved communities. 

    Oworah Sunday, a researcher and Healthcare Data Analytics specialist, is at the forefront of this revolution, driving the application of predictive analytics to transform disease detection and management. His work, published in peer-reviewed journals, demonstrates how data-driven healthcare solutions can enable early intervention, ensuring that at-risk individuals receive timely medical attention before complications develop. 

    Read Also: Ten Nigerian designers to watch in2025

    By integrating predictive modeling into healthcare systems, his research contributes to more efficient resource allocation, ultimately improving patient outcomes and strengthening healthcare frameworks in low-resource settings.

    The implications of Oworah’s  work are significant. Early detection through predictive modeling reduces the incidence of severe diabetes-related complications, easing the strain on already fragile healthcare systems. It also enhances resource allocation, allowing healthcare providers to prioritize high-risk patients efficiently. 

    On a global scale, the success of such models in diabetes detection opens doors for applying similar techniques to other chronic diseases, marking a shift toward proactive, data-driven healthcare solutions. Policymakers and health organizations are increasingly recognizing the potential of predictive analytics in shaping the future of public health.

    Beyond its medical impact, Oworah’s research underscores the critical role of data science in modern healthcare. Traditional reactive approaches to disease management are gradually giving way to AI-driven solutions that emphasize prevention. 

    His work highlights the ethical and operational considerations of implementing predictive models, addressing concerns such as data privacy, model accuracy, and equitable access to technology. By collaborating with healthcare professionals and policymakers, Oworah is driving the adoption of responsible AI in medical practice.

    In conclusion, Oworah Sunday’s contributions to predictive healthcare analytics represent a major advancement in the fight against diabetes. His research not only enhances early detection strategies but also paves the way for broader applications of data science in medicine. 

    As healthcare continues to evolve with AI-driven innovations, his work exemplifies the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in creating cost-effective, inclusive, and proactive healthcare solutions for the future.

  • How artificial intelligence tools are deployed in the fight against fake news

    How artificial intelligence tools are deployed in the fight against fake news

    Fighting fake news has become a serious problem in the past few years, as fake news has been growing around us by the day.

    Major social media platforms; Twitter, Facebook, Google and Whatsapp, have, to a greater extent, made efforts at cleaning up their platforms so that they can keep a check on fake news.

    However, with the emergence of artificial intelligence, showing the way as a ‘potential solution’ to tackling fake news, the confidence that truth will again take full charge gets improved by the day.

    The term AI was first coined at the Dartmouth conference in 1956. This was a time when the first computers were beginning to appear in university laboratories. The participants at this conference were predominantly mathematicians and computer scientists, many of whom were interested in theorem proving and algorithms that could be tested on these machines. There was much optimism at this conference.

    As the world continues the battle against fake news, artificial intelligence (AI) is now looked upon as the innovation to separate the good from the bad. This is because AI makes it easy to learn behaviors through pattern recognition.

    Harnessing AI’s power, fake news can be identified by taking a cue from articles that were flagged as inaccurate by people in the past.

    According to Financial Times, the tool is one of several emerging technologies that experts believe could increasingly be deployed to check the spread of disinformation or misinformation.

    As the volume of data grows bigger by the day, so is the chance of handling misinformation in a way that challenges the human ability to uncover the truth with the speed of AI.

    AI’s potency

    In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, for example, social media platforms like Facebook, Google, Twitter and TikTok pledged to promote fact-based information on the pandemic. Also the World Health Organization pledged to partner with technology firms to push out authoritative data.

    Facebook and Google’s sizable machine learning divisions created algorithms that effectively surface information that users want to see.

    Also, in December 2019, Instagram rolled out a new feature that could detect fake news and warn its users about the same. “We use image-matching technology to find further instances of this content and apply the label, helping reduce the spread of misinformation”, Instagram wrote in a blog post. “In addition, if something is rated false or partly false on Facebook, starting today we’ll automatically label identical content if it is posted on Instagram (and vice versa).”

    AI is being leveraged to find words or even patterns of words that can throw light on fake news stories.

    AI is also at the point of ascertaining the meaning of a web article. For instance, a natural language processing (NLP) engine can go through the subject of a story, headline, main body text, and the geo-location.

    Further, AI will find out if other sites are reporting the same facts. In this way, facts are weighed against reputed media sources using AI.

    ‘Keyword analytics’ is a form of AI that has been instrumental in discovering and flagging fake news headlines.

    Although, the true potentials of artificial intelligence in combating fake news is yet to be fully realised, Manipulation of visual media using sophisticated image and video editing applications, as well as automated manipulation algorithms that permit editing in ways that are very difficult to detect visually or with current image analysis and visual media forensic tools show there is more to be done.

    In 2017, Hany Farid, a computer scientist at Dartmouth College,US, who detects fake videos said the rapid proliferation of new manipulation techniques has led to an ‘arms race’, so just imagine what elections would be like when we’re no longer able to trust videos and audios.

    In April 2018, Mark Zuckerberg appeared before Congress: he was under the political microscope for the mishandling of user information during the 2016 election.

    Zuckerberg in his two-part testimony, mentioned artificial intelligence more than 30 times, suggesting that AI was going to be the solution to the problem of digital disinformation by providing programs that would combat the sheer volume of computational propaganda. He predicted that in the next decade, AI would be the savior for the massive problems of scale that Facebook and others come up against when dealing with the global spread of junk content and manipulation.

    The automated fake-news detection pipeline

    Artificial intelligence offers powerful tools in the fight against disinformation, working on multiple levels to identify dubious content. These techniques are broadly split between content-based and response-based identification. The former works much like a human fact checker, by matching the content of an article with trusted sources of information to highlight errors or outright lies.

    Before the creation of an AI system used in fighting fake news, AI researchers broke down the processes of ascertaining the veracity of a claim into the following steps:

    1. Retrieving documents that are relevant to the claim.
    2. Detecting the stance or position of those documents with respect to the claim.
    3. Calculating a reputation score for the document, based on its source and language quality.
    4. Verify the claim based on the information obtained from the relevant documents.
    5. Instead of going for an end-to-end AI-powered fake-news detector that takes a piece of news as input and outputs “fake” or “real”, the researchers focused on the second step of the pipeline, creating an AI algorithm that determines whether a certain document agrees, disagrees, or takes no stance on a specific claim.

    Example of tools to combat fake news?

    1. Spike: This is a tool leveraged to identify and predict breakout stories as well as viral stories. The tool analyzes mountains of data from the world of news and predicts what’s going to drive engagement.
    2. Hoaxy is a tool that helps users to identify fake news sites.
    3. Snopes is a website that helps spot fake stories.
    4. CrowdTangle is a tool that helps discover social content early and monitor content.
    5. Check is a tool from Meedan that helps verify news breaking online.
    6. Google Trends proves its worth by watching searches.
    7. Le Decodex from Le Monde is a database that houses websites that are tagged as fake, real, etc.
    8. Pheme has made a technology leap to read the veracity of user-generated and online content.

    Indispensability of fact-checkers

    Sometimes, it might be difficult to authenticate the source of a content. In recent years, fact-checking has become more prevalent in journalism. This is reflected in the increasing numbers of fact-checking organisations being established internationally.

    While Artificial Intelligence provides certain features which help in  rating a piece of news for authenticity, the roles played by fact-checkers in ascertaining information shows how important they are.

    Any fact-checking system must be judged on the scale of the internet, where even a 1% error rate can get hundreds of millions of people misled. With that metric in mind, it’s hard to imagine any software doing the job, short of the AI community’s golden goose: a general intelligence code capable of reasoning like a human.

    When someone sees an enraging post, that person would do better to investigate the information, rather than sharing it immediately. The act of sharing also lends credibility to a post: When other people see it, they register that it was shared by someone they know and presumably trust to the point of not worrying about the integrity of the post.

    According to Analytics Insight, Facebook relies on human fact-checkers and collaborates with 60 fact-checking organizations around the world deploying AI to supplement the scrutiny done by the human eye. The results were said to be encouraging. For example, in  April 2020, Facebook flagged warning labels on about 50 million pieces of COVID-19 related content, based on around 7,500 articles scrutinized by its independent fact-checking partners.

    Conclusion

    Technological platforms generated the problem, and technological platforms can also be used to correct it. Even so, algorithms are not enough to eradicate the underlying problem, technology companies, media, social networks, and even the Government must make a greater effort to educate its users.

    Media literacy should not just be about teaching and promoting reading and consumption of informative content but should also focus on critical thinking and analysis of sources now made easier to use by AI.

  • Top five Artificial Intelligence global experts

    Top five Artificial Intelligence global experts

    In recent times, Artificial Intelligence [AI] has become an archive, or a salient tool, and a pertinent third hand for humans in all affairs of life such as academics, apprenticeship, business, and health, to mention but few.

    There is no doubt about how AI helps in identifying problems, solving problems, and acquiring more knowledge. To many, Artificial Intelligence [AI] assists in identifying human errors and decision-making while to others, Artificial Intelligence [AI] is a “god” which helps to crack nuts.

    A way of answering mind-blowing questions like, “Is it possible to create an artificial brain?” led to the invention of Artificial Intelligence [AI] in the late hours of the 20th century. Meanwhile, 21st-century birth Artificial Intelligence (AI) experts across the globe, and here are the top 5 Artificial Intelligence [AI ] experts to keep an eye on:

    Top on the list is a Nigerian, Orjinta Nnaemeka Orji. As an artificial intelligence [AI] guru with vast knowledge in the field of artificial intelligence [AI] his educational background started in his hometown, Enugu, Nigeria. He is a graduate of the Mechanical Engineering department at Enugu State University of Technology [ESUT: 1995-2000].

    Also, he possesses a Postgraduate Education, a Master’s in Information Systems Management, at Walden University, Washington. Being an expert with more than 20 years of experience in the IT industry, Orjinta started his IT career with IBM as a technical post-sales representative with lead account responsibilities for clients including Citi, Fireman’s Fund Insurance, AT&T, and various other Fortune 1000 companies.

    More so, it is noteworthy that Orjinta Nnaemeka is a cybersecurity expert, too, who has consistently ranked a top 10 technical operation and professional services leader. His experience also includes a position as regional director and trusted adviser for leading Fortune 500 companies around APAC, EMEA, and North America.

    Orji has also worked as an independent contract consultant for companies including Macy’s, IBM, HPE, Price Water House Coopers, and many more. He is a strong voice of authority within the IT Cyber Resilience Data Protection sector, with frequent interviews and feature articles in major industry publications.

    Second on the raider is Greg Brockman, an American entrepreneur, investor, and software developer. Born in Thompson, North Dakota, into a Jewish family, Brookman attended Red River High School and enrolled in Harvard University [2008] but left a year later before briefly enrolling at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

    As a co-founder and currently the president of OpenAI, he began his career at Stripe [2010] upon leaving MIT and became their CTO in 2013. He left Stripe in 2015 to co-found OpenAI, where he also assumed the role of CTO. In his current position at the non-profit company OpenAI, he is currently researching interesting projects in the fields of deep learning, natural language processing (NLP), and general Artificial Intelligence.

    The Chinese-American computer scientist, Fei-Fei Li comes next. She is known for establishing ImageNet, the dataset that enabled rapid advances in computer vision in the 2010s. Born in Beijing, China, in 1976 and grew up in Chengdu, Sichuan, she studied at Sichuan Chengdu High School and graduated from Parsippany High School in [1995]. Li holds a Bachelor of Arts degree certificate with a major in physics from Princeton University.

    The Stanford University professor and Chief Scientist at Google Cloud has had a stunning career. She founded the non-profit organization AI4ALL – a company that advocates for non-discriminatory educational opportunities and expands access to AI and technology education. She served as the director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory from 2013 to 2018 and has received several awards for her more than 200 publications.

    Fourth on the raider is,  Andrew Yan-Tak Ng, a British-American computer scientist and technology entrepreneur who focuses on machine learning and artificial intelligence [AI]. Birthed in the United Kingdom [1976], earned his undergraduate degree with a triple major in computer science, statistics, and economics from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania [1997], earned his master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts [1998], and received his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley in 2002.

    In 2014, Ng was a co-founder and head of Google Brain and was the former Chief Scientist at Baidu, building the company’s Artificial Intelligence Group into a team of several thousand people. He founded the world’s largest online learning platform, Coursera, where countless courses can be taken on the topics of AI, deep learning, and machine learning. On April 11, 2024, Amazon announced the appointment of Ng to its board of directors.

    Lastly is Peter Norvig, a celebrity in the world of AI. He is the Director of Research at Google. Norvig is currently a Council member and AAAI Fellow at the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence and worked for many years as a professor and researcher at various universities. He has written more than 50 papers on AI, computer science, information retrieval, and natural language processing.