AI must remain a tool for people, says UPNG Vice Chancellor

University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) Vice Chancellor Professor Ian Findlay has urged people to use artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly and ensure it remains a tool that serves humanity.

Speaking on the rapid growth of AI, Professor Findlay said people must take control of the technology and use it in an ethical way.

"Make sure that AI is our slave and not our master," he said.

Professor Findlay said AI has transformed the world in just five years. While few people talked about it in the past, it is now part of everyday life and continues to influence education, business and society.

To prepare students for this new technology, UPNG is developing an Information Technology degree with a specialization in AI which will be offered next year.

He said the program will help students understand AI systems, the different models available, and the challenges they present. It will also examine the ethical and social issues linked to AI.

Professor Findlay said digital technology has changed the way people access information. Instead of relying only on traditional teaching methods, people can now access knowledge instantly through their mobile phones and the internet.

"We can ask Google for anything across the entire world, any piece of knowledge that we want," he said.

He said universities must adapt to these changes by moving from a knowledge-based curriculum to a wisdom-based curriculum.

According to Professor Findlay, the focus should be on teaching people how to use knowledge responsibly, ethically and creatively to solve problems and drive innovation.

He said the world is changing rapidly and universities must also move quickly to keep up.

"We must also move quickly or we will simply be left behind," he said.

Professor Findlay concluded by calling on everyone to work together to ensure AI benefits society and remains under human control.