UNILAG to unveil policy for AI usage in academia

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) is set to unveil a policy on the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) in academia.

Bola Oboh, the deputy vice-chancellor (academics and research), said the policy is expected to be finalised within two months.

The DVC spoke at a three-day workshop on AI ethics in higher education at the Arthur Mbanefo Digital Research Centre.

Russell Porter, the deputy ethics officer at Texas A&M University in the US, facilitated the workshop.

Porter highlighted AI’s ethical concerns in academic research, stressing the need for responsible implementation to avoid legal violations.

At the workshop which had its latest session on January 31, Oboh said the policy is to ensure AI is used responsibly in academic work.

“If we say no to AI, we will just be deceiving ourselves. Whether we like it or not, our students are already using it, and some lecturers also use it to check for plagiarism. The key is ensuring that AI supports critical thinking rather than replacing intellectual effort,” she said.

Babatunde Sawyer, a lecturer in UNILAG’s computer science department, addressed participants on AI’s accountability, validity, reliability, explainability, security, and privacy.

The training aimed to equip university staff with tools to tackle ethical challenges in education while maintaining global best practices.

The workshop is expected to continue virtually for three more days in the first week of February.

Participants have been tasked with replicating the training within their faculties over the next six months to ensure knowledge transfer and institutional impact.