Editor
By Fatima Saka
As the whole world glamorizes Artificial Intelligence (AI) in solving humans deficiency using the technology to transform global work space, the Hackathon 2024, Google Developer Groups Cloud Abuja has trained over Thirty Nigerian Youths on AI emerging technologies.
AI stands for transcendent simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, leveraging computer systems which includes machine learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and language understanding. Meanwhile, AI techniques enable computers to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence.
The training was held on Saturday in Abuja, tagged; “ Build With AI”.
Speaking about the training, the Lead Organizer Google Developer Groups Cloud Abuja, Mr Mayokun Adeoti said GDG is google initiatives literally embedded to promote software engineering, cloud technologies, digital skills in general among the citizens of Nigeria.
The Lead Organizer of GDG expressed that the program is a special program from Google where GDG chapters across the world are encouraging people to start adopting AI and to start building AI technologies.
He further reiterated that the global program which was organized to get people to start building different AI technologies. “And today’s event was actually a hackathon. So it’s not just a place where we just make presentations and show people the possibilities of artificial intelligence. But we actually got them to build stuff using Google’s tools, Google Gemini. So we gave them access to Google Gemini.”
Speaking of empowerment, Mr. Adeoti further said the participants are now empowered to continue building artificial intelligence solutions.
He added he wouldn’t be surprised if part of the solutions that were developed during the group work became something big in the society.
“I myself am a hackathon winner in the year 2016, and that has encouraged me to be organizing hackathons and bringing developers together,” he added.
Speaking with one of the supervisors, Mrs. Kubura Shedu Acholonu, Manager of VainWorld Limited, a tech company in Abuja, said that the training is aimed at transforming Nigerian youth by building their skills. She added that with the various innovative programs introduced by the Tinubu government, there will be significant improvements in the tech sector and empowerment of the youths.
The Manager of VainWorld Limited emphasized the importance of developing youth from the grassroots and how average people could be included in the process to build their personal skills with AI.
Mrs. Acholonu further stressed that there are many people out there who wants to build their skills but don’t have internet access because they can’t afford it.
“With AI tools available today, if the Nigerian government can reach the grassroots, I mean the grassroots because that’s what my next project is going to focus on, picking individuals, reviewing, and reinventing their mindset.
“Reinventing their mindset means guiding them towards something different, not taking away what they know, but helping them understand that what they have can be improved. They can use their skills to contribute to making Nigeria a better place to live.”
Also, one of the mentors, Mr Moses Onche, Front-end Developer and JavaScript Coach at Code Campus International said that the training is to get the participants explore and discover the power of modern technology, particularly AI.
He further expressed that the program is geared towards the participants using Google’s technology to enable them build a web application and demonstrate their creativity and with the power of AI.
Speaking on what AI has for Nigeria, the Coach reiterated that AI is a powerful technology that will bring a lot of development in the society, adding that with AI, creative people have the potential and opportunities to be able to do something that will be beneficial to Nigerians.
He emphasized that various applications developed by the teams could be improved to offer personal services to people to help their lives. “And so I think AI is a big plus for Nigeria, and I think it’s going to be helpful to our society in general.”
Mr Onche further urged the participants not to relent on what they had learned, he advised the participants to explore the power of AI technology.
Also, one of the participants, Crystal Okedi, Back-end Developer, expressed his profound gratitudes to the organizers.
He said he learned a lot about AI and what the emergence of AI means to society, adding that with awareness of AI as the next vital technology, society should explore the opportunities of AI. “So, while we work on this AI technology, we should also put into consideration other factors like knowing the safety and privacy and the fact that AI is biased.
“We should put all these things together to produce AI applications that are ethical,” he added.
