Daniel Emakporuena, a data scientist, AI researcher, community leader, and advocate for digital empowerment, believes the question isn’t whether AI should be integrated into education, but rather how responsibly and intelligently it can be deployed to uplift students and institutions in both the UK and Nigeria.
In this exclusive interview, Daniel shares his perspective on the future of AI-driven learning, the pitfalls of banning AI outright, and the transformative potential AI holds for higher education when implemented thoughtfully and equitably.
Q: Daniel, as both a technologist and an advocate for emerging talent, how do you see AI shaping the future of education, especially in the UK and Nigeria?
A:
AI has already begun to reshape education globally, but its potential is far from fully realised. In the UK, institutions are experimenting with AI-powered adaptive learning, automated feedback, digital tutors, and personalised student support. These are powerful tools, they improve efficiency and help educators focus on high-value interactions.
For Nigeria, the potential impact is even more profound. Many students face under-resourced schools, overcrowded classrooms, and limited access to experienced lecturers. AI can act as a leveller. With the right tools and policies, a student in Port Harcourt or Kaduna could access the same academic support as a student in Manchester or London. AI offers scalable, affordable learning pathways that can fill knowledge gaps, mentor students at scale, and democratise quality education.
Q: Some institutions, especially universities, are considering restrictions or outright bans on AI tools. Why do you think banning AI isn’t the solution?
A:
Banning AI is like banning calculators when they were first introduced. It doesn’t stop the technology; it only stops students from learning how to use it responsibly.
Students today will graduate into a world where AI is deeply embedded in work, from data analysis to finance, engineering, healthcare, policymaking, and design. If universities ban AI, they risk producing graduates who are unprepared for the realities of modern workplaces.
Instead of bans, institutions should focus on AI literacy, ethical usage guidelines, and assessment redesign. Teach students how to use AI as a tool for thinking rather than a tool for cheating. Educators should incorporate AI into coursework, demonstrate how to validate AI-generated content, and help students understand its limitations, biases, and risks.
One thing is clear: students who learn with AI not in spite of it will be more competitive and more capable in the long run.
Q: What do you believe are the most effective and practical uses of AI in higher education?
A:
As an AI researcher, I think AI is most effective in higher education when it supports both teaching and learning in ways that human capacity alone cannot scale. It enables truly personalised learning by adapting materials to each student’s pace, performance, and style, which is something even the most dedicated lecturer would struggle to provide in a large class. It also improves the quality and speed of feedback by assessing assignments, essays, coding exercises, and quizzes almost instantly, allowing students to understand their mistakes while the material is still fresh. AI can act as a virtual teaching assistant as well, answering routine questions at any time of day so that lecturers can dedicate more of their energy to deeper, conceptual teaching rather than repetitive clarification. Beyond the classroom, AI reduces the administrative load that often overwhelms educators by helping with scheduling, resource planning, and monitoring attendance or engagement patterns. In research environments, AI accelerates time-consuming tasks such as literature reviews, data cleaning, and early-stage hypothesis exploration, allowing academics and postgraduate students to focus more on analysis and discovery. It also makes education more inclusive by supporting neurodivergent students, learners with disabilities, and students from multilingual backgrounds through tools like speech-to-text, translation, and predictive assistance. In both the UK and Nigeria, these practical uses of AI have the potential to reduce drop-out rates, increase student engagement, and help institutions cope with staff shortages while improving the overall quality of learning.
Q: Do you think Nigerian institutions are ready to integrate AI at scale?
A:
Readiness varies across the country. Some Nigerian institutions have already begun experimenting with AI laboratories, data science programmes, and digital learning platforms, while others still struggle with basic infrastructure such as reliable broadband and consistent electricity. However, I don’t see limited readiness as a barrier; I see it as an opportunity. Nigeria doesn’t need to follow the slow and incremental path that many Western education systems took. It has the chance to leapfrog directly into AI-enabled learning, much in the same way the country embraced mobile banking long before traditional banking systems fully matured. To make this possible, Nigeria will need stronger digital infrastructure, closer collaboration between universities and AI-focused companies, better training for lecturers, national policies that clearly outline AI’s role in education, and affordable tools designed specifically for the local context. With thoughtful implementation, Nigeria has the potential to become a global example of how AI can transform education at scale.
Q: Finally, what’s your vision for the future of AI in education over the next decade?
A:
My vision is simple: AI should empower, not replace.
Within the next decade, I see classrooms both physical and virtual where AI assists lecturers the way productivity tools assist office workers. I see students able to learn at their own pace, from anywhere, with minimal barriers. I see assessments redesigned to emphasise creativity, reasoning, collaboration, and problem-solving the things AI cannot replace.
And most importantly, I see a world where a student in a Nigerian university has access to the same AI learning support as a student in Cambridge or Edinburgh.
Education is the foundation of national development. AI, if used wisely, can strengthen that foundation for millions.
