Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, on Friday warned scientists and technology developers against allowing artificial intelligence (AI) to erode human creativity and imagination, urging them to establish boundaries that would prevent machines from taking over essential aspects of human existence.
Soyinka gave the warning at the 2026 Nigerian Prize Awards Night organised by Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) held in Lagos, where the theme was Heritage.
He described the threat posed by AI as real, despite its enormous potential to advance human progress, warning that excessive reliance on the technology could undermine humanity’s capacity for independent thought and creative expression.
“The menace that AI constitutes, despite the fascination with this incredible facilitator for human progress, the menace is a very real one,” he said.
The playwright urged scientists, physicists and technologists to recognise the limits of AI, particularly in creative fields such as literature, where human imagination and personal expression remain fundamental.
“When AI begins to write our thesis, to write our poetry, or to claim that they are writing our poetry for us, there’s danger. That means we’re being dehumanised,” Soyinka said.
