‘Do not fear AI’ - Minister Nabakooba tips Ugandan land surveyors

The Minister noted with concern on Thursday that some surveyors in Uganda and across Africa are hesitant to adopt these technological advancements, which are being rapidly embraced worldwide.

Drawing from her experience as a former Minister of ICT, Nabakooba warned about the perils of neglecting new technology, particularly in light of the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"I have heard that there are reservations because some people think they are going to lose jobs to AI. But I encourage you to position yourself and be ready to fit in with the AI, otherwise, it will swallow you up," she said.

 "During the Covid lockdown, we all had to use gadgets for everything, even those who were too reserved; even our women in markets learned how to market their products using the gadgets. Now we are talking about using AI or drones in surveying. But of course, someone has to operate those drones, retrieve their collected data, and analyze it."

Minister Nabakooba made these remarks during the opening of the Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy (CASLE) Conference in Kampala, held at Makerere University. The conference brought together surveying professionals from various African countries.

Professor Moses Musinguzi, the Principal of the College of Engineering, Design Art, and Technology at Makerere, explained that the conference aimed to address how surveyors can effectively operate in the rapidly evolving technological landscape. 

He stressed the importance of providing education that fosters adaptability and an analytical mindset, rather than fixating on specific technological tools.

“Technology is changing very fast; some years ago we were teaching surveying with tapes, then later we were using digital total stations; now we are talking drones and AI, and these things are happening in a short time,” he said.

Joseph Segun Ajanlekoko, the President of CASLE, mentioned that the organization, founded in 1969, has expanded to encompass 40 societies across 34 countries. He encouraged Ugandan surveyors, particularly students, to make use of CASLE's resources, including research grants.