AI should enhance your abilities, not replace your obligation to think – Dr Kavaarpuo

Gideon Nicholas Day 12:50 - 10 August 2026

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The Executive Director of the Data Protection Commission, Dr Arnold Kavaarpuo, has urged graduates to use artificial intelligence to enhance their abilities without allowing it to replace critical thinking and human judgement. Speaking at GCTU’s 2026 Special Congregation, he warned that over-reliance on AI could make people less willing to make decisions and take responsibility for them. He also challenged graduates to look beyond their certificates.

Dr Kavaarpuo warned that AI should enhance human capacity, not replace critical thinking, judgement or accountability.
He cautioned that people could become too dependent on AI because its answers are fast, convenient and authoritative, leading them to accept outputs without reflection.
He argued that the value of university education must go beyond certificates, as AI is transforming jobs and creating a need for workers who can adapt, think and exercise sound judgement.
He noted that while AI may not eliminate all jobs, entry-level roles could be affected, potentially removing some of the traditional pathways through which young professionals gain experience and develop responsibility.

The Executive Director of the Data Protection Commission, Dr Arnold Kavaarpuo, has urged graduates to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to enhance their capabilities without allowing it to replace human judgement, critical thinking and accountability.Dr Kavaarpuo made the call while delivering the keynote address at the Ghana Communication Technology University’s (GCTU) 2026 Special Congregation Ceremony on Friday, August 7, 2026.The ceremony, held under the theme, “Shaping the Future: Innovation and Technology Education to Support Ghana’s Digital Economy,” saw more than 300 eligible students graduate during a special mop-up ceremony.

Dr Kavaarpuo warned that the growing capabilities of AI could create a new risk — not only machines becoming better at making decisions, but humans becoming increasingly unwilling to make decisions for themselves.

“The danger is not only that machines will become more capable of making decisions, it is that human beings can become less willing to make them,” he said.

He explained that people could gradually surrender their judgement because AI systems provide answers that are fast, convenient and often expressed with authority.

“We may surrender our judgement not because a machine has compelled us, but because its answers are fast, convenient and expressed with authority,” he said.

According to Dr Kavaarpuo, the greatest threat posed by AI may not necessarily be machines becoming more human, but humans becoming more mechanical in their thinking and behaviour.

“It may be that human beings become mechanical, accepting outputs without reflection, repeating conclusions without understanding, and transferring responsibility to systems that cannot be held morally accountable,” he cautioned.

He further cautioned that people must not use technology as an excuse to avoid responsibility for decisions they make.

“The words ‘system decided’ must never become an acceptable substitute for human accountability.”

AI and the changing value of university education

Dr Kavaarpuo also challenged graduates to reconsider the role of university education as AI increasingly becomes capable of performing tasks traditionally associated with professional qualifications.

“What is the value of a university degree when machines can increasingly reproduce many of the tasks for which that degree certifies that you have been trained?” he asked.

He said the growing capabilities of AI did not mean university education had become worthless. Rather, he argued that the purpose of education must become more profound.

“Your certificates confirm that you have completed a programme of study. It records past achievements. It cannot guarantee future relevance,” he said.

Citing the International Labour Organisation, Dr Kavaarpuo said approximately one in four jobs globally has some degree of exposure to generative AI.He noted, however, that exposure to AI does not necessarily mean those jobs will disappear, as many are expected to be transformed rather than eliminated.

“The conclusion is not that all these jobs will disappear, but many will be transformed,” he said.“That distinction is reassuring but only slightly. A transformed job still requires a transformed worker.”

GCTU celebrates graduates

The 2026 Special Congregation brought together graduates, university officials, families and other stakeholders to celebrate the academic achievements of more than 300 students.Acting Vice-Chancellor of GCTU, Prof. Ebenezer Malcalm, reaffirmed the University’s commitment to producing future-ready graduates capable of contributing to Ghana’s digital economy.

The ceremony also recognised the Valedictorian, Mr Bright Baffoe, who graduated with a CGPA of 3.88 in the Master of Arts in E-Business and Marketing Strategy programme.The graduation provided an opportunity to celebrate the students’ academic achievements while challenging them to remain adaptable, critical and accountable as artificial intelligence and emerging technologies continue to reshape education and the world of work.