AI is the ability to programme computers to exhibit human-like intelligence to perform a specific task such as chatting, decision making, recommendations, and prediction of future outcome with a degree of accuracy.

According to two technology experts, AI has numerous benefits for school, business, and personal use and that it could be a foe or friend depending on how individuals use it.

AI expert, Dr Dickson KeddyWornyo,and technology and innovation expert, Ms Winifred Kotin, made the assertion last Thursday when they addressed a technology trends and awareness webinar series session.
Organised by the Department of Information Technology Studies of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), it was on the theme ‘Artificial Intelligence: A friend, foe or both?’

The virtual event, open to academic, students and the public aims to raise awareness of digital technology developments and their implications for individuals, organisations, and society.

For Ms Kotin despite the importance of AI, “the main reason why we say that AI is either an enemy or a foe is based on two main things which are decision making and automation”.

While expressing worry about how AI could make businesses such the postal and courier services redundant, Ms Kotin encouraged businesses to find ways to incorporate it in their business as the world transitions into a digital age.

Additionally, she urged businesses to think of AI as an opportunity to acquire new skills and be innovative in order to deliver quality service and enhance customer retention.

In his presentation, Dr Wornyo said AI, which had been in existence since the 20th century could be explained as a computer that could see, hear, read, make decisions, and perform task based on the information it learns.

He further noted that AI could be appreciated as a friend considering its importance in the area of automation, research and education, smart decision making medical analysis, and enhanced customer experience.

That notwithstanding, he said, AI could be considered a threat due to issues such as privacy and data protection, hacking, emotions, deep fake, unemployment and high cost.

He, however, explained that despite the aforementioned threats, AI could be used in a positive manner, for instance, media houses, could use it for news casting, where the voice of news casters could be mimicked with their pictures.

Dr Wornyo was also of the view that AI could never replace humans because it lacked emotional intelligence as humans could have different emotions and could not also work without the input of data by humans.

The Vice President of IMANI Africa, Mr Selorm Branttie who was the chairperson advised the youth to consider themselves as contributors to sanitised data because AI was about building models.