Artificial Intelligence: Way forward for intellectual development?

A MACHINE is a device that helps to make an action easier. There are different types of machines, and every machine is unique in terms of its functions. 

In the same vein, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also a distinctive and complex machine that is used to perform various functions such as intellectual or knowledge work in an efficient and quick way.

The use of AI covers other fields such as education, finance, pharmacy, agriculture, business, sports and games among others. Nevertheless, AI has come with its own challenges like any other technology. 

As humans, thinking is one of the important aspects of our being, through which we find solutions to problems and bring out answers to questions for new development. Thus, without thinking, human beings will be reduced to just a mere being is with no value. 

Human beings are creative thinkers and overindulging in AI is likely to take away or hinder creative and innovative embedded ideas. 

In recent times, most people, especially the youth, heavily rely on AI for every work they do without any recourse to thorough and proper thinking. 

There is anecdotal evidence that school prefects in our senior high schools are using AI to write their manifestos and speeches. 

The issue is not only limited to school prefects, but job seekers also now use AI for their application letters, secretaries at offices for their letters and the like, therefore, making no room for proper thinking and reasoning. 

The argument can be that the invention of AI came to deprive human beings of their natural thinking power. It is the thinking power of humans that gives birth to new ideas and creations. 

However, the over reliance on AI might not augur well for new discoveries and improvement in any area; therefore, creative thinking would become hard and fast in nature. 

Thus, the use of AI needs to be properly regulated among students in first and second cycles and to some extent at the tertiary level to encourage creative thinking in new generations. 

The concept of creative thinking means the ability to form valuable ideas to find new answers to questions or new solutions to problems. 

In fact, the use of AI does not come up with unique and original solutions. The substitute of natural thinking with AI will have a long-term impact over our younger generations. 

This implies that the absence of AI would create a huge problem for our younger ones since it will make them lazy to use their intellectual capacity, hence ending their creativity. 

The use of AI could be a way of spoon-feeding the new generations, because AI needs little or no personal brain work. 

If AI is the way for intellectual development, posterity will judge, however, machines like AI were invented to aid efficient, effective and fast transformation of aspects of living.

It must be noted that a society that fails to be creative and innovative fails to grow depriving itself of critical and analytical thinking, an intrinsic part of humans. 

The writer is a Chief Research Assistant, University of Ghana,
Centre for Gender Studies and Advocacy (CEGENSA).
E-mail: edwardgborgbor@gmail.com

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System Summary

The article "Artificial Intelligence: Way Forward for Intellectual Development" explores the transformative potential of AI in education and research. It discusses how AI can personalize learning, making education more accessible and tailored to individual needs while supporting teachers in enhancing learning environments.

The piece also delves into AI's role in research, where it can enhance data analysis, accelerate discoveries, and support interdisciplinary work. Ethical considerations such as data privacy, potential biases, and the need for responsible AI usage are also examined.

The article concludes by addressing the challenges of integrating AI into intellectual development, such as the need for adequate infrastructure and training, while also highlighting the significant opportunities AI presents for the future of education and research.