CIPM flags risks in unregulated AI adoption

The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria has warned that the rapid and unregulated adoption of artificial intelligence across workplaces, academia, and government could create ethical, social, and governance risks if not properly managed.

The warning was issued during the third International Academic Conference of CIPM, organised in partnership with the Department of Employment Relations and Human Resource Management at the University of Lagos, themed “Artificial Intelligence in Academia, Industry and Government: Navigating Ethics, Innovation and Impact.”

CIPM President and Chairman of Governing Council, Mallam Ahmed Gobir, said discussions around AI should move beyond whether the technology will transform society to how stakeholders can ensure it is deployed responsibly.

He stressed that innovation without ethics and technology without accountability could undermine trust in organisations and institutions, noting that human values must remain central to AI deployment.

“Algorithms do not build trust. People build trust. Machines do not create culture. People create culture,” Gobir said, adding that organisational success continues to depend on people, not technology alone.

Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Sunday Adebisi described AI as “the world’s new infrastructure,” noting that it is already reshaping learning, production, governance and communication systems globally.

However, he warned that Africa risks falling behind if challenges such as weak digital infrastructure, ICT skills gaps, regulatory uncertainty and unequal access to technology are not addressed.

According to him, failure to bridge these gaps could worsen unemployment pressures and deepen inequality across the continent.

Another keynote speaker, Mr Henry Onukuba, said the central challenge was no longer whether institutions should adopt AI but how to integrate it responsibly without eroding fairness, accountability and public trust.

He said AI has the potential to democratise education and improve access to knowledge, particularly for students in underserved communities, while also helping to address faculty shortages in universities.

“AI will not take over your job. Your job will be taken over by someone who knows how to work smarter and more effectively with AI,” he said.

The chairman of the conference and Head of Department, Employment Relations and Human Resource Management at the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluseyi Shadare, said AI presents both opportunities and risks that require coordinated action from academia, industry and government.

He noted that while the technology can enhance productivity and innovation, it also raises concerns around job displacement, privacy, inequality and governance.

Representing the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, the Dean of the Faculty of Management Sciences, Prof. Abdul-Hameed Sulaimon, commended CIPM for the conference and urged participants to apply its insights in their institutions.

The conference also recognised outstanding research contributions, with 38 full papers presented after a rigorous review of 47 submitted abstracts. Dr Aramide Kuforiji emerged as the overall best researcher, while Prof. Sam Bodunrin and Dr Ifeanyi Enukorah placed second and third, respectively.

Participants at the conference agreed that while AI is rapidly transforming work and society, its long-term impact will depend on how effectively institutions balance innovation with ethics, accountability and human-centred values.