The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Lagos State University (LASU), Professor Oluwatoyin Enikuomehin, has called for responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), while urging individuals to develop the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly algorithm-driven society.
Enikuomehin made the call while delivering the 127th Inaugural Lecture of LASU, titled “Thinking Machines and the Future of Thinking: Cyberphysicalism, the Transformation of Human Thought, and the Emergence of an Artificial Intelligence-Driven Algorithmic Society.”
He said the growing integration of AI into everyday life requires individuals to understand how technology influences their thinking, decisions, knowledge and interactions.
According to him, people should learn to work with machines without surrendering their independent judgement, stressing the need to question, validate and refine information generated by AI systems.
The Professor also urged individuals to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability and collaboration skills, noting that the future of work would increasingly favour those who can effectively combine uniquely human abilities with artificial intelligence.
He warned that ethical considerations must remain central to AI adoption, saying citizens should understand the values embedded in the technologies they use and guard against blindly accepting algorithmic decisions.
Enikuomehin further described digital privacy as a dimension of human dignity, urging people to protect their digital identities and personal data in an increasingly cyberphysical world.
In his conclusion, the Professor maintained that the future would depend not on machines alone or on individual human minds, but on how society chooses to think and work alongside intelligent technologies.
Using Kaprekar’s Constant as an analogy, he encouraged individuals to remain committed to consistent action and continuous improvement, regardless of their starting point.
He said: “An algorithm that exists only in your mind is not an algorithm. It is a wish. And wishes do not converge on 6174. Operations do.”
He stressed that the quality of human thinking would ultimately determine the quality of the technologies and societies being built.
The Vice Chancellor of LASU, Distinguished Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello who read his citation said Enikuomehin, whose scholarship covers Artificial Intelligence, data analytics, cyber security, digital forensics and information retrieval, has authored more than 92 publications and supervised 12 Ph.D. theses.
She also said he holds more than 25 professional IT certifications and serves as a National Universities Commission (NUC) resource expert on AI curriculum design.
According to the Vice Chancellor, “The professor has undertaken international academic and consultancy engagements and has been involved in the development of AI-based optimisation models and other digital solutions”
“His research and professional interests, according to the university, are aimed at promoting a digitally intelligent governance ecosystem where AI and ethical innovation can support efficient, transparent and inclusive service delivery” She said.
Present at the Inaugural Lecture were scholars, dignitaries, University’s Officials, Family Members of the Inaugural Lecturer, among other notable personalities.
