‘Taking the Voter’s Pulse’ the Media, Artificial Intelligence and Paradox of Innovation in Nigeria

Abstract

The horizontal dividing line between human and science might have been the epi-centre of enquiry in the 1950s when the focus of Artificial Intelligence (AI) raised the question : when is a system designed by human “Intelligent” ? Since then, flurries of literature in communication studies capturing the most mundane aspects of AI as a tool for diverse possibilities have, as it were, re-enforced the earlier view championed by the western media about the need to leverage on communication (ICTs) to fasten the pace of development across societies, especially developing countries. While it is not intended here to ride the wave of technological advances, the hitherto implicit assumption that all the countries of the world are ready for this take-off as contended by the proponents of the development paradigm, did not take cognizance of the intricate issues of innovation and governance. Nigeria is one of such countries in daring need to redress the failures of her electoral process still scrapped in the swaddling clothes of her political merchants who are not near ready to let go the arcane ideology of “the winner takes all”. This study focuses on how to improve the nation’s electoral process through AI. It is also the contention that given the automated systemic nature of AI, these anomalies will be significantly reduced. Causal inference will be tested through analytical approach, while the discourse will be framed by diffusion of innovation theory. Based on the findings, recommendations will be made to address the aforesaid issues.