Engineers Urged to Leverage AI for Sector Growth, Creativity

Engineering professionals have been advised to upgrade their practice through artificial intelligence integration. 

At the Engineering Week lecture organised by the Nigerian Society of Engineering (NSE), Egbin-Ikorodu Branch, Lagos, recently, engineers were also enlightened to disabuse the notion that AI could displace them, but should see the innovation as a blessing.

Speaking on ‘Re-Integration of Artificial Intelligence into Engineering Systems’, a don at the University of Namibia Science and Technology, Prof. James Katende averred that AI has come to stay, boasting several features to address many engineering challenges. 

He said, “AI innovation has the capacity to enhance various design of engineering systems, optimising, taking correct decision and doing proper maintenance”.

The don called for collaboration between engineers and artificial intelligence experts, stressing that quality data too was needed for optimal functionality. 

On the concern about AI displacing human beings, Katende said that the question is left for individuals to answer, depending on their respective fields.

In his remark, the Branch Chairman, Sunday Oluwagbenga Akinbode called for early integration of AI into Nigeria’s education system. 

He added, “For artificial intelligence to thrive in the engineering sector, there is need for reliable data collection, industry-academia collaborations, knowledge disseminations and early integration of artificial intelligence into the Nigerian educational curriculum as early as primary schools”.

Climaxing the event was a career talk on the theme of the event, ‘Infusing Artificial Intelligence with Technology’ as well as a quiz competition on STEM, where Power field group of schools emerged winner, and rewarded with cash prize.