E-Business
The Onslaught of Artificial Intelligence (AI) part 2
By Evans Woherem, Ph.D
The advancement of AGI has ethical and societal implications, as it may alter our interactions with technology and our understanding of intelligence. For example, in the 1980s, Professor Weizenbaum created an AI-based system called ELIZA, which mimics a Rogerian Therapist and was one of the first natural language processing programs.
His system showed the shallowness of human-computer interaction and the risks associated with an overreliance on AI technologies. He was astonished to discover that his secretary had an emotional connection to the system, while using it, as if it were human, despite knowing that he wrote the code for it.
Weizenbaum used this experience to openly criticize the field of AI after he realized that people might treat AI systems like they were people. He argued that the hype surrounding the technology was unjustified and that it was unlikely that machines would ever be able to fully understand human thoughts or emotions.
Weizenbaum’s viewpoint on AI raises the question of whether or not AGI is truly possible and whether or not the concept of AGI is well-defined. It also emphasizes the importance of being realistic about what AI can or cannot do and avoiding overhyping the technology.
It is important to note that the field of AI has evolved significantly since Weizenbaum’s criticism, and some researchers have developed new methods, techniques, and theories that address some of AI’s limitations, such as Symbolic AI, Connectionist AI, and Hybrid AI.
Some AI researchers are working on developing AI systems capable of demonstrating human-like intelligence and consciousness, such as creating AI systems capable of passing the Turing or Chinese Room tests.
It is crucial to remember that Weizenbaum’s worries about AI remain valid today, and the discipline of AI continues to raise ethical and societal implications. As AI systems advance and become more capable, it is critical to consider the implications of their development and application.
For example, as AGI systems become competent at performing tasks previously thought to be unique to humans, it raises concerns about the future of work and the role of AI in society.
Furthermore, as AI systems improve their ability to understand and interpret human behaviour, issues about privacy, autonomy, and the possibility of AI being used negatively by individuals or society as a whole arise.
In light of these concerns, AI researchers and developers must think about the moral and societal implications of their work and develop AI systems that are open, auditable, accountable, and consistent with human values. Furthermore, society as a whole must engage in informed discussions about the future of AI and its potential impacts on our lives.
This includes involving stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, such as ethicists, philosophers, sociologists, policymakers, and members of the public, in the development and governance of AI systems.
Additionally, there should be ongoing efforts to ensure that AI systems are developed and used responsibly and ethically, with measures in place to prevent unintended consequences and negative impacts on society.
- Divergent Viewpoints on the Prospects of AGI Morphing into ASI
While some researchers believe that AGI is possible, others think that it’s unlikely and that the concept of AGI is not well defined. The debate over whether AGIs will eventually “morph” into ASIs is divisive among AI researchers and experts for different reasons.
One argument in favour of this viewpoint is that, due to advances in technology and machine learning, AGIs will continue to develop quickly and may one day outperform human intellect in several fields. This means that AGIs will continually grow exponentially over time and eventually transform into ASIs.
However, since there are still many unresolved issues and unknowns surrounding AGI and ASI, many researchers are less optimistic about the timeline for their development. In addition, some specialists believe that the term “superintelligence” is ill-defined and too ambiguous, making it difficult to say whether or when AGIs will develop to that level.
Despite the difficulties, many researchers are still working on developing AGI and ASI because they think the potential advantages outweigh the risks. Improvements in decision-making, increased output, and the ability to solve problems that are currently insurmountable for humans are potential benefits.
However, to benefit from these advantages, the risks associated with AGI and ASI must be decreased by implementing the proper safety measures. In addition to addressing moral and ethical dilemmas, this requires developing strategies for monitoring and controlling AGI behaviour.
As pointed out earlier, majority of AI systems in use today are referred to as “Narrow AIs” because they are designed to carry out specific tasks.
Examples of these types of AI include IBM’s Watson and DeepBlue, Expert Systems, and AlphaGo, all of which exhibit intelligent behaviour within a specific domain, but do not possess the general intelligence that humans have. Some of these systems may have high levels of proficiency or intelligence in their specific areas, but they do not have the broad intelligence that humans possess.
It is important to note that this is often a starting point in the progress towards creating a general AI. Some researchers typically begin by developing AI systems that are particularly skilled in one area and then use the insights and knowledge gained from these systems to advance the development of more general AI systems. Organizations such as the AGI Society, Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research, CSAIL at MIT, Facebook AI Research, Google DeepMind, and the Human-Level Artificial Intelligence (HLAI) Conference demonstrate that there is ongoing work in the field of AGI and that many experts are working to create more general AI systems.
I am among those who are nervous about the unleashing of AGI systems in our society. I therefore believe that when designing and implementing AGI, it is critical to proceed with caution and care.
Technologies are amoral; they can be used for good, such as increased efficiency and productivity in various industries, but they can also pose risks, such as job displacement, security threats, and ethical concerns, depending on the motivations of those who create them.
Before proceeding with AGI development and implementation, it is critical to consider the potential risks and benefits, as well as the consequences of AGI morphing into ASI and the impact they could have on human jobs and sense of uniqueness in the world.
Even though we still do not have AGIs today, Ray Kurzweil, among other AI experts, predicts that AGIs will be developed by 2045, citing the Law of Accelerating Returns, which deduces that the rate of technological growth is exponential.
It is crucial to keep in mind that these projections are based on current trends and advancements in the field of AI and that developing AGI is a complex and ongoing process that might not occur in a specific order.
It is also worth noting that AGI does not necessarily imply replicating all human capabilities; rather, it could refer to systems that are advanced enough that humans perceive them as AGI, but the consequences of having such systems are unknown.
It could be compared to opening a Pandora’s Box or attempting to construct a new Tower of Babel, with unknown and potentially negative consequences for humanity and the world. I believe in the long run, the net effect will be negative, perhaps even catastrophic, for our earth, unless we do something to regulate them appropriately.
- Implications of AI
Humans have been attempting to increase the forms, types, places, and reach of communication, resulting in the emergence of many forms of communication, including written language, oral language, sign language, and more recently, digital communication.
For example, through the use of books, letters, and other written documents, written language has made it possible for humans to communicate over great distances and long periods. The printing press facilitated written communication after the fifteenth century. The telephone and telegraph enabled long-distance communication in the nineteenth century.
The development of radio, television and the internet has significantly expanded the reach and extensibility of communication and information during the 20th century. Communication with anyone at any time is now possible thanks to the internet and mobile technology. Social networking and instant messaging are new forms of communication as well.
Most machines developed during the agrarian, industrial, and post-industrial eras have ended up deskilling and displacing humans from their traditional vocations, whether in crafts, blue-collar, or clerical work.
However, they have also increased production and opened up new areas of labour for individuals who were displaced. As a result, there have been more employment increases than job losses overall. Many of stakeholders believe that this will always be the case, even for artificial intelligence systems.
However, AI can replace not only monotonous administrative and physical tasks, but also virtually every other job, including those of artists, programmers, teachers, doctors, researchers, lawyers, accountants, and managers—indeed, everyone’s work. Managers have believed that having 1,000 employees will cause 1,000 headaches for them since the beginning of time. So, they will employ whatever machines or methods that allow them to eliminate numerous workers.
However, it is important to note that the impact of AI on the workforce will likely be more complex than simply replacing jobs. AI has the potential to improve human capabilities, produce more work, and create new jobs. Additionally, the rate at which AI will impact different industries and job types will vary, and some jobs may be more resilient to automation than others. It is also important to consider the ethical and societal implications of AI and its impact on the workforce.
For example, there may be concerns about income inequality and the displacement of certain groups of workers. It is crucial for policymakers and industry leaders to carefully consider these issues and develop strategies to mitigate negative impacts while harnessing the potential benefits of AI. Moreover, there is a need to think about retraining programs, education and upskilling of the workforce, and to ensure that the benefits of AI are shared equitably across society.
Continues in part 3…..
The federal government, in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), is building a digital registrar that will identify farmers, their farmlands, type of soil and the crops they grow for targeted services.
The information and the National Identification Number (NIN) will be integrated into a multipurpose identity card that farmers can use to access financial services, inputs and other forms of government assistance.
The digitisation is expected to harmonise farmers’ data across all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Speaking at the national launch of the Policy Dialogue Initiative on the National Digital Farmers Registry (NDFR) recently in Abuja, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), said the new system would address the issue of portfolio farmers, whom he described as “farmers who have no farm.”
“We are going to register farmers and their farms. Not only that, farmers and the type of crop they grow, farmers and the locality they are, the type of soil they have on their farms. There is no farm that will not have a farmer. But there are many farmers who do not have farms. This is an encompassing package.
“When we register these farmers, we are going to provide a physical and digital card for them. With the card, many things can be done by the farmers. It can be used as a means of identification, an asset to some gateway – just anything. It is going to have a handshake with the database of the country, such that with that particular card, the farmer can enter any place and get things done. He or she can redeem inputs and even get a loan, depending on the financial entity,” Ogunbiyi explained.
He said that to accomplish this, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has taken decisive steps to transform their approach to farmer data management, adding, “Chief among these is our strategic partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to implement a far-reaching farmer registration and database project. At the heart of this initiative is the integration of the NIN, which ensures that every Nigerian farmer is uniquely identified and seamlessly integrated into a national agricultural system.”
Mrs Dede Ahoefa Ekoue, country director/representative of the IFAD in Nigeria, said the United Nations (UN) organisation was proud to be part of the initiative on the National Digital Farmer Registry in Nigeria.
“Our role is to convene all the partners, development partners from the public sector, private sector and the international community to put our resources together to support the effort of the government in establishing and enabling a digital farmer registry for the country,” she said.
Mrs Ekoue said that although there were previous efforts to have a national database of farmers, it had the issues of fragmentation and sustainability.
“The government is now providing us with a sense of direction and matching orders to all the actors to work together. This is what we are doing today with several partners, including the African Development Bank, FAO, the World Bank, the EU, the Islamic Development Bank and UK. Also, what is very key is farmers’ organisations because it is about them, it is for them, it must be with them,” she added.
The country director said the IFAD was happy to bring together the private sector and different ministries, departments and agencies, adding, “It will be a game changer for having a strong, updated and sustainable national digital farmer registry.”
Dr Lekan Tobe, the country director of Heifer International in Nigeria, in his remarks at the official launch of the Policy Dialogue Initiative on the National Digital Farmer Registry, emphasised the critical role of partnership and data in transforming Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
He said that this initiative, born from recommendations of previous policy dialogues organised in collaboration with the federal government, aimed to scale up innovative digital technology to enhance food systems across the country.
Dyna.Ai, a global leader in AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS), has launched its operations in Nigeria with an exclusive closed-door ‘Nigeria Dyna Day’ event in Lagos, which saw the introduction and orientation of its suite of AI-powered products and solutions to Nigeria’s emerging financial ecosystem.
The event, tagged ‘Nigeria Dyna Day’ and themed “AI Unleashed: Revolutionising Nigeria’s Financial Future,” brought together leading voices from the country’s AI, financial, fintech, telecom, and other key sectors, including representatives from government agencies and major enterprises.
In his opening remarks, Tomas Skoumal, chairman and co-president of Dyna.Ai, emphasized the strategic importance of Nigeria and the broader African market, stating, “For us, it makes sense to start in Nigeria.
There is no bigger country in Africa—this is where the momentum is.” He noted that Africa is no longer just “the future,” but is actively transforming today, driven by rapid digitalization and fintech innovation.
“This is the perfect time to be here,” he added, highlighting that Dyna.Ai sees technology as a vital bridge to financial inclusion and long-term growth across the region.
Skoumal introduced Dyna.Ai’s advanced Agentic AI solutions, including its proprietary Agent Studio and industry-specific language models, designed to power intelligent automation across customer service, marketing, collections, HR and more.
He also underscored the company’s long-term ambition to invest in local talent, stating, “We’re not just here to sell a product—we’re here to build infrastructure, create local jobs, and scale innovation from Nigeria to the rest of Africa.”
Dyna.Ai also showcased its advanced AI technologies at the event, including AvatarGPT, an AI digital human delivering interactive experiences; VoiceGPT, a voice agent featuring authentic local accents for seamless communication in Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo; along with live demonstrations showing how these innovations empower customer engagement and employee experience.
Delivering the keynote address at the event, Tokoni Peter Igoin, Special Assistant to the President on ICT Development and Digital Innovation, underscored the Federal Government’s vision for a secure and forward-thinking digital ecosystem.
“The government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is fully committed to responsible innovation. Our approach to AI and financial technology is rooted in a positive framework. It encourages creativity while ensuring transparency, data protection, and digital security”, he said
Also in his remarks, Olatunbosun Alake, Lagos State Commissioner of Innovation, Science and Technology, gave insights from the government/regulatory perspective.
He announced that the Lagos State government is also taking steps towards the wide adoption and regulation of artificial intelligence in the state with the planned release of the first AI guidelines for the deployment and management of AI in the coming weeks.
A new global survey from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) reveals that 52% of marketing leaders believe generic top-level domains (gTLDs – the three characters or more that come after the dot in a URL) have strong potential for enhancing brand presence online; however, a knowledge gap is preventing many brands from taking advantage of the opportunities that a gTLD can bring.
The research surveyed over 2,000 marketing leaders across eight countries (Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, U.K., and U.S.) with the purpose of creating a picture of the evolving digital marketing landscape and understanding the levels of awareness around gTLDs.
It comes as ICANN prepares to open the next application window for new gTLDs in April 2026 the New gTLD Program: Next Round – the first opportunity in more than a decade for organizations to apply to operate their own gTLD.
Top-level domains are the letters found at the end of an Internet address (with gTLDs including .charity, .menu, .paris and .ceo). Brands can apply to run their own gTLD as a way to indicate the purpose of their organization or to clearly mark a website as being related to their brand.
The research shows that increasing brand awareness and visibility is the top priority for marketing leaders (54%) and that over half believe that gTLDs have strong potential for enhancing brand presence online.
However, the research also shows that almost a third (32%) of marketing leaders surveyed are unfamiliar with gTLDs, which suggests that operating a new gTLD may be a strategic opportunity that many organizations are currently overlooking.
Key findings from the research include:
- After defining a gTLD, 92% of marketing leaders responded that they could see the potential benefits to gTLDs, with enhanced brand differentiation (46%), improved customer trust (45%), better control over online presence (44%), and improved SEO (44%) topping the list.
- 19% of marketing leaders work for organizations that have previously applied for a gTLD.
- Cost concerns (31%), knowledge gaps (27%), and insufficient resources (24%) were identified as the main barriers to application.
- The research revealed notable regional variations, with Nigerian (74%) and Indian (61%) marketing leaders showing the strongest belief in gTLDs’ potential for branding and online presence. In contrast, marketers in China expressed more mixed views, with 50% seeing strong potential but 49% considering gTLDs an unnecessary investment with unclear Return On Investment.
The findings come at a time when marketing leaders are facing significant challenges in standing out from competitors (53%), attracting and engaging the right audience (52%), and keeping pace with digital trends (47%).
A new gTLD can be an innovative tool for commerce and communication. They allow businesses in specific countries, sectors, or niche markets to create an exclusive, descriptive, and memorable label on the Internet.
An entity operating a gTLD can provide its users and customers with an extra measure of confidence in its security and legitimacy online. This can be valuable in today’s environment, where users often don’t know whether they can trust the source on the Internet.
Theresa Swinehart, SVP, Global Domains & Strategy said: “The New gTLD Program: Next Round presents an opportunity for businesses, communities, governments, and others to apply to operate their own secure space online, tailored to fit their organization, community, culture, language, and customer interests.
Now is also the moment for brands to consider applying for a gTLD, and this research tells us there is still a lack of awareness. ICANN can help provide information and raise awareness of the Next Round and the opportunity it presents for global communities, organizations, and businesses, including brands.”
To help address the knowledge gap, ICANN is developing resources to help organizations understand the application process and potential opportunities for gTLDs ahead of the 2026 application window. ICANN also offers the Applicant Support Program (ASP), which provides financial and non-financial assistance to eligible applicants.
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