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AI can’t replace human intelligence – Experts

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Communication scholars and public relations practitioners have insisted that Artificial Intelligence cannot replace human intelligence in whatever guise.

KANO FOCUS reports that the experts made the revelation at the Annual General Meeting and Public Lecture of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Kano Chapter.
The experts opined that AI is designed to replace manual work effectively and quickly, it cannot override the need for human input in the workspace.
In his presentation on “Artificial Intelligence and Spin Doctoring in Public Relations Practice in Nigeria,” the guest speaker, Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu, questioned the hype surrounding the Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.

A cross section of dignitaries at the event
He noted that even though the technology will aid human efforts in all endeavours, especially in the public relations practice, data collection, it is impossible for it to replace human intelligence, instinct, interactivity and creativity.
He added that there is no way the technology will have superiority over human abilities, since computer can remain exactly the same way in hundred years without human inputs.
“While artificial intelligence can change the field of public relations, it is not able to replace human intelligence and judgment.
“That human element necessary is not easily (if at all) replaceable by technology alone because successful PR strategies require the expertise and experience of skilled professionals.

A cross section of dignitaries at the event
“AI is a tool, not a human, and lacks the emotions needed when it comes to certain parts of the business.
Professor Adamu, nevertheless stated that AI has become an essential part of the business landscape as the ever-emerging technologies are presenting new opportunities for growth and development.
The university don also differentiated between spin doctoring and public relations, noting that while the duo share similar characteristics, but they are not interchangeable.
He referred to spin doctoring as ‘slanted information’, which bullies, punishes journalists for telling the truth, or for publishing authentic information about their principals, while public relations tries at all time to maintain cordial relationships over period of times.

LOC Members
“Spin doctors are professional media experts who work behind the scene to influence the media on behalf of their clients. Their job is to put an interpretation or slant on events or situations by providing a positive angle to a news story.
“In order to make politicians, political institutions, or corporations more attractive, spin doctors seek to frame their clients in a positive light by exercising some control over what is said about their clients and how it is said,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, the publisher of PRNigeria, Yushau Shuaib, noted that while public relation practitioners will not refer to themselves as ‘spin doctors’, they nevertheless enjoy enhancing positivity over negativity.

A cross section of dignitaries at the event
Shuaib who also stated that it is impossible for AI to replace human intelligence, he said the technology can only enhance the work of professionals in the areas of audience targeting, content generation, media engagement, online reputation management and crisis management.
He said that regular technological tools being used daily have AI features.
“The AI is nothing new if we realise that search engines, location search tools, spell checkers, reverse image app, computer games shared the same feature
“We can’t deny the fact that, AI saves time, increases efficiency, improves accuracy and enhancescompetetive advantages. It merely augments human intelligence but can never replace creativity, human interactions and natural instincts… one cannot fall in love with the Robot in real sense,” Shuaib concluded.
In his remarks, the President of NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku noted that humans are still immensely valuable in public relations because the need for creativity in interactions cannot be replaced by Artificial Intelligence.

A cross section of dignitaries at the event
He commended the NIPR Chapter in Kano and a Governing Member, Dr. Sule Yau Sule for facilitating the lecture on contemporary issues.
Other dignitaries at the occasion included the immediate President of NIPR, Mallam Mukhtar Sirajo a traditional holder Katukan Kano, Alhaji Habibu Bello Dankadai who represented the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero and other PR bigwigs and friends of the Institute.

Headlines
Anti-corruptions Day: PCACC launches mobile app to fight corruption

Mukhtar Yahya Usman
Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission, PCACC, has launched a mobile application, developed for receiving information from whistle-blowers.
KANO FOCUS reports that the application, ‘Shawarata’ was launched at the commemoration ceremony of International Anti-corruption Day, held at Coronation Hall, Kano state government house on Saturday.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Commission, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin-Gado, said the application was part of the agency’s resolve to employ technology to check the excesses of corrupt practices in the state.
Rimin-Gado said the event was a strategy to enlighten the public on the dangers of corruption, which according to him, has negatively affected all strata of development in the country.

“Part of our resolve to strengthen the fight against corruption and check the excesses of corrupt practices in the state is the introduction of technology by our agency.
“This is why we have developed a mobile app for receiving opinions, views, and suggestions from members of the public.
“This event is key to the fight against corruption as it enlightens the public about the dangers of corruption. Corruption has affected all strata of development,” he said.
In his presentation, Sadiq Yaya, PCACC’s Head of ICT, said the app is a platform where information could be received from members of the public.
According to him, the platform contains features to upload videos and pictures by a user, adding that it is user-friendly and fast.
He explained that the platform had also provided a feature to keep information providers anonymous by providing options for the anonymity of the user.
Yaya disclosed that the app has recorded 20 downloads so far, urging the general public to download it to provide suggestions, opinions, and other information to the commission.
In his remarks, the state governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf said his administration had zero tolerance for corruption, which is why it had soft far recorded some giant strides.
According to Yusuf, represented by his deputy, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam, the state government has recorded achievements so far as a result of blocking leakages since the inception of the administration.
He explained that the administration has resumed payment of salaries to civil servants without illegal deductions as it was done by the immediate past government.
He added that public properties illegally acquired by individuals in the immediate past government have been recovered and put to public use, citing Hasiya Bayero Paediatric Hospital.
He said the government had also prioritized the creation of Anti-Corruption units in government agencies.
Governor Yusuf described the Kano anti-graft agency as “one of the best, if not the best in the country”.

Headlines
How we saved billions of public funds by blocking leakages – Gov Yusuf

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has said that it has blocked leakages and fraudulent siphons of the public treasury, saying in just a few months in office, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has saved billions of Naira.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Government alluded that hundreds of leakages had led to the misuse of public funds by those in authority, while institutions, government offices, and the general well-being of the public suffered neglect.
Delivering an address at the commemoration of the 2023 International Anti-Corruption Day, Saturday, hosted by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC), the State Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by his Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo says the government has zero tolerance for corruption.
The Deputy Governor, who represented Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf at the event, explained that some of the giant strides taken by the state government towards ensuring a better life for the people of the state are evidence of the fact that it does not tolerate corruption.

He explained that the regime has resumed payment of salaries to civil servants without unnecessary deductions introduced by the immediate past regime.
He added that public properties illegally acquired by individuals in the immediate past regime have been recovered and put to public use, giving an example of the Hasiya Bayero Paediatric Hospital.
He said the government has also prioritized the creation of Anti-Corruption units in government agencies while ensuring it pays pensions and gratuities of retirees neglected by the immediate past regime worth N6 billion.
In his opening address, the chairman of the Kano anti-graft agency, Muhyi Magaji Rimingado described the agency as the most vibrant subnational anti-graft agency in the country.
Muhyi Rimin Gado hints that as of today the State Anti Graft office has become a source of inspiration with many other State Governors seeking technical advice on how to create and sustain their own.
He explained that the day is commemorated with the view of mobilizing the public towards fighting corruption.

Headlines
Kano guber tussle: Tinubu, APC using judiciary to destabilise the northern commercial center, Arewa coalition

Aminu Abdullahi
A pan Arewa movement known as Northern Coalition Youths Movement Initiative (NYMI) has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration and the ruling All progressives Congress (APC) of an hidden agenda to destabilize the Northern commercial nerve center in order to weaken the economy of the region.
KANO FOCUS reports that this was disclosed in an elaborate world press conference at Arewa House in Kaduna state on Saturday.

The secretary general of the movement, Comrade Ibrahim Mohammed Inuwa, pointed to series of moves being made by the government to undermine the region using judiciary to subvert the people’s mandate in Kano, Plateau and Zamfara.
He said, in recent times, they have observed with dismay, how the much esteemed judiciary has become the lapdog to the executive arm of government which they said is expected to check as an independent entity.
“Gone are the days when judges dish out logical judgments that are acceptable to the litigants in any disputes. It is however sad that the administration of Pres. Bola Tinubu and APC has resorted to using the judiciary to snatch what it has lost at the ballot.
“Under the APC, the votes of the people no longer count, this is because the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has become an extended part of the ruling party. In a bid to do the bidding of the APC.
“Judiciary has now become the rubber stamp to the massive scale of electoral robbery in the country. Where the INEC fails to award victories to APC candidate, the same courts are the avenue where the victories of the opposition parties are now only arrested but also stolen and given to the APC.
“Nigerians are living witnesses to what is going on in the Court of Appeal with respect to the governorship poll in Kano, Plateau and Zamfara States where the opposition parties have won the state at the ballot box and the attempt by the Federal Government to snatch these states from the winning political parties.
“What is even more embarrassing is the case of Kano where the Court of Appeal is still finding it hard to defend its verdict on the election which many have come to see as very ignoble and horrible. The fact that the verdict is tainted was further shown aa the NNPP try to secure the certified true copy of the judgment revealed the underhand dealings that must have happened with the document revealing contradictory outcomes.
While some paragraphs upheld the election of Gov Abba Kabir Yusuf of the NNPP as duly elected.
“The embarrassment created by the nasty scenario is yet to abate as we address you as the action has further put the judiciary in the negative spot in the minds of right thinking Nigerians who have lost faith in that vital arm of the government.
“The most laughable verdict also is the issue of internal affairs of each political parties which is clearly enshrined in our electoral act and which the supreme court has long settled, yet that is the issue the same judiciary is using to upturn Kano’s mandates which was freely given to NNPP”,
The coalition accused the Tinubu’s government of waging war against leading political lights from the region in a bid to destroy or whittle down their relevance before the poll.
He said the coalition has been monitoring the development for some time, he however urged leaders in the North to live up to their responsibility of protecting the interest of their region.
He added “We wish to draw the attention of the people of the North to an ongoing sinister plot by Pres. Tinubu and the ruling All progressives Congress APC to politically decimate the North and render it impotent ahead of the forthcoming 2027 general election.
“The coalition lamented the fate of the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufa’i in the hands of the current government despite the support it gave to President Bola Tinubu during the electioneering campaign.
“One individual whose support and assistance to the emergence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufa’i who worked on his colleagues in the North to sway victory for President Tinubu.
“What did he get in return? The former governor was rubbished by the government when his nomination was rejected by the Senate during confirmation allegedly on spurious claims of not scaling security screening,” the group wrote.
They also listed those who have been humiliated by the current government include, Senators Danjuma Goje, Abdulazeez Yari.
The statement further reads that “The former Zamfara State Governor was subsequently rubbish by the government when he tried to become the Senate President of the country. He was hounded and cowed to submission by the agents of the government and the state.”
Not done, they added that “Another Northerner who has also been humiliated since coming into being of this governmen
