By By: Dr. Nzulumike, Charles
Abstract
The foundations of artificial intelligence (AI) from the early philosophical inquiries of Aristotle to the groundbreaking innovations of Alan Turing and the 1956 Dartmouth Conference have evolved into a transformative force across the educational sector. In this paper, the relevance of AI to Nigeria‘s educational goals is assessed through the lens of the national philosophy on education. The paper observed that AI uses technology to simulate human intelligence and is increasingly transforming education through personalized learning, automation, and inclusive tools. In Nigeria, AI holds the potential to support key educational goals such as equal access, national unity, and citizenship development. Despite these benefits, AI also presents risks including cultural erosion, algorithmic bias and job loss that could undermine the ethical and human-centered foundation of our educational system. To ensure that AI is a gain and not a loss, it must be implemented carefully, complementing rather than replacing teachers and aligning with Nigeria‘s values through strong policies, infrastructure, training, and ethical oversight. The paper recommends among others that government should adopt a clear AI framework in its education policy that reflects national values and development goals in line with her philosophy of education.
