The Revolutionizing Tertiary Education for Africa’s Thriving AI Economy and Workforce (RetAIn) Project, housed under the College of Science at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, has held a stakeholder dialogue on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education and industry.

The dialogue brought together academics, researchers, industry professionals, and students from institutions including the Ghana Meteorological Agency, KNUST, the University of Ghana, the University of Cape Town, and other research laboratories.

Principal Investigator of the RetAin Project, Dr. Jeffrey Aryee, said the session was designed as a platform for shared learning and reflection rather than a training workshop.

He explained that the project, supported by the Microsoft AI for Good Lab, seeks to prepare African universities for an AI-driven economy through three focus areas: AI readiness in education, workforce preparedness, and digital equity and inclusion.

“We are at the initiation phase. The challenge now is to work harder, integrate AI responsibly, and make sure we are not just end-users but creators of solutions,” Dr. Aryee said.

Highlighting the rapid pace of technological change, he drew parallels with past innovations such as the calculator and the internet, noting how AI is already transforming industries.

He warned that white-collar jobs may face greater risk of disruption than blue-collar work and stressed the need for universities to prepare students to adapt to a changing job market.

Participants shared their experiences with AI in areas such as teaching, research, climate forecasting, health sciences, law, and student learning. They also highlighted opportunities and challenges in Ghana’s AI landscape.

At KNUST, initiatives under way include summer schools that train staff in AI, the Responsible AI Lab, and early work on institutional AI policies, all aimed at building local capacity and ensuring responsible, locally contextualised deployment across teaching and administration.

Concerns raised included over-reliance on AI tools, the need to safeguard creativity, and the importance of using local data to inform AI systems.

Speakers noted that while AI has enhanced weather forecasting and administration, it sometimes misses regional nuances. Similarly, students who depend too heavily on AI risk losing originality in their academic work.

The dialogue concluded with a call on universities and policymakers to develop frameworks that promote responsible AI adoption, foster innovation, and ensure inclusion.