The Federal Ministry of Communications has assured Nigerians that it will include artificial intelligence and coding in the education system, thereby making the youth to be put in the right path as Information Technology would affect the way they relate with one another in the fourth industrial revolution era.

The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, made this submission at a press conference on Thursday, in Abuja, in an event marking the 2018 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) with the theme: “Enabling the Positive Use of Artificial Intelligence for All”.

Speaking further, Shittu said that the ministry was committed to focus on the potential of the AI to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, and improve the nation’s economy.

According to him: “AI is taking centre stage with a lot of impact on peoples’ lives as its potential power is being exploited and developed at an unprecedented speed.

“With many nations, including Nigeria bank on technology, robotics and artificial intelligence to reshape humanity, we need to encourage our youth and people to be digital literate and become multi-discipline in ICTs.

“Also market analysts predict that intelligent machines programmed to think and reason like the human mind will revolutionise healthcare in the very near future.

“Proponents of the transformative power of artificial intelligence usually give two examples: self-driving cars and the delivery of healthcare.”

He also emphasised that AI was no longer confined to the laboratories, but could be seen in many instances of human activities.

He said: “We are accustomed to seeing countless references to intelligent machines and robots in popular culture whether it is in movies, fiction or books.

“But apart from computers and smartphone technology, nothing is more worthy of praise than our commitment to replicate human behaviours and thought pattern into machine and that is the world of artificial intelligence.

“As governments increasingly rely on the internet for governance and delivery of social benefits, technology simultaneously holds the promise of transformation and potential for exclusion.’’

He said that the ministry would engage in crucial conversations with stakeholders to manage and explore the AI regime, a process that can make Nigeria bring industry leaders and academic experts to the forefront by identifying priorities and share lessons for sustainable growth.

Shittu said: “We shall consider and explore pillars like connectivity, digital inclusion, trade, security, innovation and policy. We will also examine challenges and prospects of AI to foster greater interoperability and security.

“Since government is leveraging the internet for delivery of social services, all lesson must be internalised to make this initiative more inclusive.”

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