AI without ethics risks failure in Africa, says LASU DVC

Taiwo Afisi, deputy vice-chancellor (academics) of Lagos State University (LASU), says artificial intelligence (AI) must be grounded in African values and indigenous knowledge to serve the continent meaningfully.

Afisi spoke on Tuesday while delivering LASU’s 108th inaugural lecture titled “The Oracle and the Open Society: Rethinking the Evolution of Authority and the Pursuit of Epistemic Justice in African Philosophical Thought”.

During the lecture held at the Buba Marwa Auditorium, Ojo campus, Afisi said Africa must move beyond simply acquiring information to embracing ethical, historically awareness, and culturally anchored wisdom.

“It is no longer enough to be informed. We must be inspired by values, guided by justice, and anchored in the wisdom that our African philosophies provide,” he said.

The DVC, who is LASU’s first indigenous professor of philosophy, said scholars must rethink knowledge production beyond Western models by engaging with indigenous systems as valid frameworks for science, politics, and morality.

He called for “epistemic pluralism” and urged African researchers to ensure their work is both rigorous and socially responsive.

On education, Afisi said the curriculum across all levels must reflect Africa’s identity through philosophically grounded learning.

“The curriculum must not only be decolonised but also philosophically grounded in African realities,” he added.

He also spoke on the continent’s fast-growing tech space, warning against imitation of foreign systems without local adaptation. He said Africa’s AI tools should reflect communal values such as fairness, transparency, and accountability.

The DVC urged traditional leaders to preserve oral traditions and communal systems as active contributions to modern civic life.

He added that Africa must chart a future driven not just by data, but by moral clarity.