Lagos, June 25 — Chemists and allied professionals gathered on Tuesday at the University of Lagos in Akoka for the inaugural conference of the Chemical Society of Nigeria’s Lagos State chapter, where the central message was clear: artificial intelligence must be deployed ethically and responsibly to serve people and the planet. The event drew experts from across the chemical sciences to examine how AI tools can be harnessed without sacrificing safety, integrity, or environmental sustainability.
The conference theme, ‘Responsible AI in Chemical Sciences for Advancing Security, Ethics and Sustainable Environment,’ set the tone for discussions that balanced enthusiasm for the technology’s potential with caution about its known risks.
Risks and Rewards of Artificial Intelligence in Laboratories
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Omotayo Arotiba, a professor of Chemical Sciences and Director of the Centre for Nanomaterials Science Research at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, urged chemists to embrace artificial intelligence for its capacity to accelerate discovery and improve efficiency. At the same time, he warned that the technology carries serious pitfalls. Arotiba specifically cited AI hallucinations — instances where systems generate plausible but incorrect outputs — along with broader questions about reliability and the threat to academic integrity.
He stressed that no machine can supplant human cognition. “As human beings, we are superior to AI,” he said, noting that only people can fully grasp the technology’s limitations and strengths.
The call for caution comes at a pivotal moment for the chemical sciences. Artificial intelligence, defined as the ability of computer systems to perform tasks usually linked to human thought such as learning and reasoning, was formally established as an academic discipline in 1956. The field has moved through repeated waves of optimism followed by stretches of reduced funding and interest.
A resurgence began when specialized hardware improved neural networks, and a subsequent architectural shift pushed capabilities further. The 2020s brought a broad expansion of systems that generate text, images, and audio from simple prompts.
Ethical questions have shadowed AI for decades, encompassing safety, unintended harm, and long-term societal consequences. Some experts have called for formal oversight of development and use. Chemists now face the same choices that other fields encountered earlier: how to apply these powerful tools without compromising the values of their profession.
Human Judgment at the Center of a People-Centered Approach
Arotiba emphasized that governments and universities must pay close attention to the ethical issues surrounding AI, ensuring its application aligns with the values of humanity and the environment. The conference highlighted the need for a people-centered approach to AI development, one that keeps the well-being of individuals and communities at the forefront.
Behind every algorithmic breakthrough in chemical sciences are families and neighborhoods that will be affected by the outcomes. Responsible use of the technology, experts argued, can mean a safer and more sustainable environment for those communities. The human side of AI development, often overlooked, must remain central to decision-making as laboratories integrate these tools. The Chemical Society of Nigeria, a professional body that brings together graduates of chemistry and other professionals engaged in chemistry-related activities, provided the platform for this discussion.
The conference served as a significant step toward promoting responsible AI use in chemical sciences, and its impact is expected to be felt in the years ahead. As the field continues to evolve, prioritizing ethical considerations will be essential to ensure AI benefits humanity and the environment.
Readers should watch whether professions set enforceable limits on AI use, as the choices made now will shape research integrity and environmental outcomes for the long term. The experts’ emphasis on ethical guardrails and human-centered approaches marks a promising direction, one that keeps the focus on people even as technology advances.
Sources
- Experts Urge Responsible Use of AI in Chemical Sciences
- UNILAG, CSN Lagos Champion Ethical AI for Sustainable Science
