Reliance on AI undermining creative thinking, says Bunmi Ajakaiye

Bunmi Ajakaiye, a film writer and director, says reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) is undermining creative thinking and communication.

Ajakaiye spoke on Saturday in Lagos at the first edition of curating chaos titled: ‘Unpacking The Next Decade’.

The event, which emphasises the importance of strategic planning and innovation in Africa, saw panelists take turns to share insights on ways to navigate life’s complexities.

The film writer said in order to thrive in challenging times, one’s mental fortitude must be resilient enough to weather the storm.

“Right now, we are in the age of extreme information. It is coming at people in nanoseconds. We are underscoring not just how precipitous the position we are in — as it could either be dangerous or fortunate,” Ajakaiye said.

“The stability of the mind in the next 10 years is so much more important than it has ever been in any era.

“There is so much that is about to happen if the mental capacity is not where it should be — it may be a little bit difficult to assimilate, conquer and succeed.

“You can gather as much information as you can, but if you are unable to settle down, make sense of it and find patterns where you can create your success, there might be some struggle there.”

Daniel Oladoja, convener of the event, said most Nigerians lack the ability to put their challenges in context. 

Oladoja emphasised the importance of planning for the next decade, noting that issues like climate change would potentially alter work life, health, drive insecurity, and migration in the future.

“There are so many issues to deal with. But the biggest obstacle is not those challenges themselves, but the lack of awareness of those challenges and the ability to put them in proper context is the most difficult thing millennials and Gen Zs face,” Oladoja said.

“Climate change is not just an environmental problem, it is an economic problem, it is going to affect every area of your life. And what that would mean is that you have to spend more on energy.

“The conversation today was just about aggregating all these drivers of change and seeing how to help people unpack them and understand them to make strategic decisions about the next 10 years.”

Other panalists included Basil Abia, co-founder of Veriv Afica; Ezeogu Kayide, a consultant; and Joshua Triumphant, a product manager.

The second edition of the event is billed for November 2025.