The upsurge of the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by Nigerian youth today is obtrusive as the rate at which it is being utilised will make you wonder if AI is a current innovation. But it is not, it has been for quite a long time.
According to history, AI as a concept has been since the 1950s,its research began in the 1940s and 1950s when scientists from different fields discuss the tendency of creating an artificial brain. From the Dartmouth conference ,to the first working AI program written in 1951 to run the Ferranty Mark 1 machine, to the first neural net machine The SNARC, to several innovations down the years like manufacturing robot, self-driving cars and ChatGPT.
As its name implies “Artificial Intelligence is a machine’s ability to perform a task that would have previously required human Intelligence. It is the ability of a machine to portray the Intelligence of humans in carrying out tasks. Ai is not just for photography or answering questions, it has an ability to adapt, solve problems ,plan and even learn new things. There are several AI devices, some of which are; Alexa, Google voice assistant, self-driving cars, Robotic, ChatGPT. Thus, the inbuilt ability of these devices to respond like humans when carrying out a task is what is called Artificial Intelligence, and the responses are the result of machine-learning algorithm.
Moreover, AI is a technological ability that reduces stress and workload on humans in different sectors of life. It aids rapid growth in industries, birth forth innovations, and improve the creativity of humans. One of the sectors recently affected by AI in Nigeria is the educational sector. AI brings ease to learning but can also affect students negatively if solely depended upon. The use of Artificial Intelligence has its pros and cons and should be carefully considered in its usage. AI improves the learning experience of students, saves teachers time and effort, help students improve in their skills and improves the academic performance of students.
However, in all of these, AI can also be a cause of low academic performance of students if not properly utilised. One of the disadvantages of AI on Nigerian students is laziness.
The use and sole dependency on AI has made students lazy academically and has limit their ability to think critically. Most students are now so dependent and no longer trust their Intelligence to solve or answer questions without asking AI. Also, some students experience retardation in their writing skills and can no longer construct a good write-up with appropriate syntax due to frequent usage and dependency on AI. Although it is necessary for students to use learning aids in order to ease their learning experience and help them learn better, however, AI isn’t the best option as search engines are enough aids for student to understand a concept better. Search engines will expatiate a concept, allowing students use their intelligence in doing the assignment while AI will reason for the student, thereby, leaving the student’s reasoning ability and intelligence dormant.
AI is quite different from search engines. Despite it has the ability to perform the functions of a search engine, there is still a point of divergence between the duo. A search engine has been programmed to carry out specific instructions and it adheres strictly to it while an AI (ChatGPT) is an artificial duplicate of human intelligence and can perform several assignments. Though a search engine is limited compared to AI ChatGPT, yet it is a better option for students as it allows them make optimum use of their intellect.
Furthermore, it is expedient for students to note that the need for education is to acquire knowledge and not just to pass exams. Hence their attitude towards the use of AI should be to acquire knowledge and improve in skills rather than using it as a substitute for their reasoning and critical thinking ability. It is better to use a search engine and improve in knowledge than to enjoy the ease of AI by relying solely on it yet lose your critical thinking ability.
Lastly, note that AI has been in existence before Chimmamanda Ngozi Adichie wrote her first book, yet she used her intelligence. Wole Soyinka has always been sound in intellect and writing without ChatGPT. Therefore, the greatness of the Nigerian students should not only be in strength but also in intellect. Do not lose your intelligence due to sole reliance on AI.
– Yakubu Peace Simbi
Student, Mass Communication Department,
Prince Abubakar Audu University Anyigba, Kogi State
