Runsewe Warns of AI Misuse and Misinformation Risks

Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, the former Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), expressed concerns regarding the misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on social media. He stated that while AI is not inherently harmful, its exploitation can lead to misinformation, disinformation, and the spread of fake narratives, threatening societal peace and stability.

Runsewe emphasized that AI's unguided use could damage families, social institutions, and government, potentially causing social tension and inter-religious or inter-ethnic strife. He cited examples of AI-generated voices and cloned images of political figures circulating online.

Additionally, he criticized the negative impact of AI on higher education, noting that students' reliance on AI for assignments promotes plagiarism and intellectual laziness. As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general election, Runsewe cautioned against AI-generated content that could incite political unrest and urged stakeholders to develop effective information dissemination strategies to counteract fake narratives.