Mr Kent Walker, President, Global Affairs, Google and Alphabet, says a recent survey conducted by Ipsos on its behalf revealed a remarkable positive perception of Artificial Intelligence (AI) among Nigeria’s online population.
A statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday quoted Walker as saying that AI adoption and enthusiasm in Nigeria were higher.
Walker noted that the survey, which had the theme: “Our Life with AI”, polled 21,000 people across 21 countries.
He said that the survey, which polled online adults in Nigeria, found that an overwhelming majority believed that AI’s potential benefits outweighed its risks.
“This optimism is reflected in the high adoption rate of generative AI, with 70 per cent of respondents reporting that they have used AI-powered tools in the past year.
“AI is starting to deliver magic at scale, making people’s lives easier and better.
“Today’s survey results show the more people use these tools, the more excited they get about the possibilities and about the personal, professional, and scientific breakthroughs on the way.
“I am writing to share the results of a new survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Google, which explores the attitudes and perceptions of the online community in Nigeria towards AI,” he said.
The group’s president said that the findings revealed that there was a high degree of optimism and excitement about AI among the Nigerian online population.
According to him, key insights from the survey include High Generative AI Adoption: 70 per cent of survey participants in Nigeria reported having used generative AI in the past year.
Walker said that this figure surpassed the global average, adding that in measuring Positive Sentiment towards AI – 87 per cent of Nigerian respondents felt that AI’s potential benefits outweighed its risks.
He further said that Nigerians are particularly enthusiastic about the potential economic benefits of AI, with 81 per cent of respondents expecting AI to positively transform the economy.
Walker added that the survey also revealed that 90 per cent of respondents anticipate AI would have a positive impact on science and medicine as the Anticipated Societal Benefits.
He said, “these findings suggest that Nigeria’s online population is eager to harness the potential of AI to drive innovation and progress.
“As AI technology continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how Nigerians leverage it to address various challenges and opportunities.
“These results highlight the strong belief within the surveyed online population in Nigeria that AI can play a transformative role across different areas of life, particularly within the economy and the healthcare sector.
“We believe these findings are particularly relevant for your audience and provide valuable insights into how AI is being perceived and adopted in Nigeria.” (NAN)
