How artificial intelligence is reshaping higher education in Cameroon

By Synthia Lateu, with ancillary reporting by Hans Ngala

University lecturers have warned against students’ over-dependency on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Cameroon. As this new technology gains prominence in the country, concerns are rising about its implications for academia if misused.

Sunrise and sunset mark the daily commute of thousands of students navigating the expansive campus of the University of Buea (UB), the first Anglo-Saxon state university in Cameroon. With their eyes glued to the screens of their phones and laptops, students express delight at the ease of completing take-home assignments. “It will be done effortlessly,” they say, crediting AI for its convenience.

“It is very simple, I just go to the Meta AI app, ask my question, and it provides the answer,” said Victory Lumje  a third-year microbiology student at UB. Enticed by the affordability of these technologies, students are increasingly embracing tools like ChatGPT, Poe, and Meta AI to quickly find answers to their questions. Warnings from lecturers about these AI tools potentially limiting critical thinking are often disregarded. “He (the lecturer) says we should not use AI, but we don’t have a choice; we are students. We like easy-going,” added Victoria, who started using AI last year.

Conversely, some students are more cautious in their adoption of this innovation, opting for additional verification tools to avoid mistakes. “If there is a topic that I do not understand, I type it and send it to AI. Based on the response I get, I try to reason it out. If it is not reasonable, I prompt the AI to give me more,” said Emmanuel,another University of Buea student.

Newly admitted students often reveal ignorance about this technology and its applications. Second-year Master’s student Jim Tabot uses AI judiciously, stating, “Some people just get information and do not go through because all they need is an answer.” Having observed his mates struggling to enter examination halls with phones, hoping to use AI instead of revising their lessons, Bisong Abdel, a Public Administration student, found the new technology to be one that promotes laziness and has resolved not to use it. “It rather takes you to a source where everything is displayed… It makes you lazy to dig deeper,” he said.

Dr. Ndimancho Michael, a lecturer at the University of Douala, noted in an interview with CNA that AI was first introduced in 1956 by John McCarthy during the “Dartmouth Research Project” as a tool intended to be beneficial in academic settings. However, this early form of AI was vastly different from today’s sophisticated technologies

Applicability of Artificial Intelligence in Universities

According to Dr. Dominic Elempia Forcha, a lecturer at the University of Buea, AI is an innovative tool that can enhance research if used correctly. However, the University of Buea is yet to establish a policy regarding AI. “We can just consider that AI is like plagiarism because the knowledge is not actually the student’s knowledge. You go and copy what somebody has made. For the moment, we lecturers simply try to detect whether a student has copied from AI or if the student did the research themselves.” Forcha says he and his colleagues can tell just by reading a student’s work , whether they wrote it with assistance from AI and students who did use AI, have their work rejected. He expressed his disappointment over the fact that students don’t want to learn anymore and prefer to be overly reliant on technology these days. This observation is largely based on instinct and scrutiny, ensuring that students engage more deeply with their work.

Across the country, higher education institutions continue to grapple with integrating this new technology into their curricula. “The use of AI largely remains at the level of individuals rather than being collective. Both lecturers and students inevitably tap from it, depending on their academic goals and objectives,” Dr. Forcha said, expressing skepticism about AI’s role in academia. He acknowledged that while “academia needs AI,” over-reliance could lead to inertia, lack of innovative ideas, and a drop in originality of research. “AI should be a means to an end, not an end in itself,” he emphasized, urging students to recognize that AI has limitations with its intelligence based solely on the data it has received.

Forcha warned that “If we don’t use AI positively, then we are killing ourselves and killing the educational system.” University lecturers advise striking a balance between harnessing the benefits of this transformative technology and addressing its implications for academia. They also stress the essential role of continuous theoretical research in universities.

Evolution of AI in Cameroon

AI is increasingly prevalent in Cameroon. The country has enacted a Data Protection Law, which Colbert Gwain Fulai, a digital rights activist from the NW, believes is a step in the right direction. Fulai, who was one of just a few Cameroonians in attendance at this year’s Internet Governance Forum in Saudi Arabia, views Cameroon’s Data Protection Law as a positive step for AI development. However, he notes the absence of a comprehensive Digital Rights Bill.

“Africa is lagging behind in terms of data for AI. We need to address questions such as: Is the available data adequate? Is it accurate? Do we have natural language models that address African languages and contexts? These concerns highlight the lessons learned from this year’s Internet Governance Forum,” Fulai said.

He further emphasized the need for collaboration among stakeholders, including civil society, governments, policymakers, technologists, universities, and research institutions. He believes AI can be a valuable tool for students, enhancing learning and increasing efficiency. “I’ve had the opportunity to interact with cybersecurity students at the University of Bamenda, and I’m impressed by their experiments with natural language models and AI-powered apps,” he noted.

Despite AI’s tremendous potential, Fulai warns of potential economic impacts, including job losses as AI becomes more widespread, exacerbating Cameroon’s existing job scarcity. Other drawbacks, such as increased laziness, decreased critical thinking, and copyright issues, must also be considered. “Ongoing research is necessary to fully understand the implications of AI,” he said.

The African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Media

The role of AI in media and technology was also a key topic at the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Media, which took place in Yaoundé from March 4 to 6, 2024. The summit was the first of its kind in Cameroon and was attended by prominent figures such as Cameroon’s Telecommunications Minister, Minette Libom Likeng, Gabon’s Communication Minister, Laurence Ndong, journalists, IT experts, and other stakeholders, focused on the evolving role of AI in broadcasting, journalism, and media. During the event, Mrs. Likeng, Cameroon’s Telecommunications Minister, highlighted both the opportunities and challenges AI presents today. She acknowledged that while AI has the potential to revolutionize industries such as media and communication, it also raises concerns around data privacy, the ethical use of technology, and has the potential to disrupt employment in traditional media sectors. Her remarks underscored the need for a balanced approach that embraces technological advancements while mitigating the risks associated with their misuse.

Wits University inaugurates Africa’s first Pan-African AI Center

In November 2024, Wits University in South Africa inaugurated Africa’s first Pan-African AI Center. Known as the Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute, the institute aims to publish impactful research, develop talent, and help to foster innovative applications of AI. Its specialties include informing policy-making on the governance and ethics of AI in Africa. MIND aims to study the impact of AI on the continent from an African perspective, focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities that AI presents within the diverse African context. The center’s establishment signals the growing importance of AI across Africa, a trend that is also affecting countries like Cameroon. By fostering research, collaboration, and the development of AI policies tailored to Africa’s needs, the Pan-African AI Center is poised to drive innovation and contribute to the continent’s development, ensuring that Africa’s voice is heard in the global AI conversation. This is a significant step toward addressing AI’s potential and its implications for Africa’s future, as Cameroon continues to navigate the balance between embracing technological advancements and ensuring they benefit the educational and economic landscape.