Nigerian youths have taken to shunning AI in their daily lives, particularly in media and entertainment spaces. This belief runs counter to the prevailing notion that the future of technology is AI, and it has us wondering why Nigerian youths are anti-AI in media spaces and exactly where they draw the line.
Although Nigeria currently has one of the highest AI adoption rates globally, with over 93% of Nigeria’s youths taking advantage of AI to learn complex topics and 88% being comfortable enough to use AI chatbots, it has become evident that the enthusiasm for AI technology comes to a standstill when the risk of AI usage outweighs the efficiency.
What Boundaries Do Nigerian Youths Set for AI Use?
Nigerian youth draw the line on AI usage at financial control, the destruction of human creativity, academic fraud, and threats to data privacy and national security, and here’s why:
- Death of Authenticity
In cases of AI being used in creative spaces like music videos, art pieces, graphic design, films, and other forms of media, Nigerian youths believe that normalising its use in these areas will be the death of authenticity. In the past, creativity thrived in these spaces, as they allowed Nigerian youths to showcase their skills, interests, and creativity unique to their style.
However, with the increased use of AI in media and entertainment, there are more instances of repetition in creative work produced by different sources. More and more, Nigerian youths are noticing a lack of authenticity in the entertainment space. Young creators use generative AI for rough scripts and concept art, but they strongly reject fully AI-generated content that strips away authentic Nigerian humour, local slang (Pidgin), and cultural nuance.
- Academic Failures
There has been an upsurge in people using AI to learn or complete complex assignments, with more choosing to use AI chatbots or apps instead of reading or doing their own research. While AI technology was created as a form of support, Nigerian youths believe that its use as an alternative means of learning or education by young people is a key factor in the rise of the “Olodo uprising.”
Although people do not have anything against using AI tools to break down complex questions, the struggle arises when they use AI as a form of plagiarism, offering no personal thoughts and instead inserting AI-generated answers verbatim.
- Erasing Human Jobs
This area affects both creative and technical aspects: when AI is used by companies or individuals in a highly competitive job market instead of skilled individuals, Nigerian youths frown on using AI and prefer paying people their worth to do the job. One of the most common reasons AI is rejected by many is that generative AI steals from humans, not only by taking away roles that would be well-suited to humans but also by compiling existing human-created skill sets into AI-generated work. The line is drawn at becoming passive consumers; the focus is on mastering AI to secure jobs rather than letting AI outpace human ingenuity.
What do we think?
Although Nigerian youths agree that the advent of AI promises growth in future technology, the general consensus is that AI cannot replace human intelligence and authenticity, especially in areas largely human, such as music, film, and art. For many Nigerian youths, it is easier to spot when AI has been employed in media and entertainment, and its soulless feel makes it difficult to engage with it.
