HYDERABAD: Speakers have shed light on the importance of use of artificial intelligence (AI), but also cautioned about likely impact of the use of 6G (sixth generation) technology on the world’s ecosystem.

They said it was still being debated as to how 6G would impact the world and that research should be focused to offer solutions to the issues of general nature in routine life of people.

They were speaking at a three-day ‘International Multi Topic ICT Conference 2023’ that began in Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) Jamshoro in collaboration with Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology Karachi on Wednesday.

Addressing the event, Sindh Higher Education Commissioner (SHEC) Chairman Tariq Rafi said: “We have to prepare our future generation for the rapidly changing world.” Technology had brought about changes in 20 years which were unseen in the last 200 years, he added, emphasising the need for bridging the gulf between different higher education institutions and research bodies.

He said the use of AI had led to great help in the field of medicines. He said that 47pc population in the country was using internet and the world was changing rapidly, therefore, “we would have to prepare our future generation to face this”.

He said the conference had provided opportunity to students to understand knowledge and have learning, adding that the event would help spread and transfer knowledge. He, however, observed that usually the research that was taking place on a daily basis did not take into account the routine life and issues of people.

He said that research must provide guidance in that regard and scholars should link their research with those issues of people in their routine life so that solutions could be found.

He said culture of shared working would have to be promoted because no individual or department could get success alone. In that regard, he underscored the need for bridging the gulf between different higher education institutions and research bodies.

Addressing the inaugural session of the conference, Prof Dr Tauha Hussain Ali said today the world was talking about 6G service, admitting that there was a great difference in the thinking of the professors of national varsities and those of the developed world.

“We are still three to four centuries behind the developed world. Our professors mostly conduct research for individual development which increases their own research papers, but it doesn’t benefit society,” Tauha conceded. He called for research that generally benefitted people. He said people took pride in working with international researchers and did not attach importance to working with national institutions.

Prof Marja Matinmikko Blue of University of Oulu, Finland, said that 6G would impact the world and change its ecosystem. He remarked that sustainable development and 6G were two important questions concerning the world.

He stated that cellular companies’ role would be crucial in the changes to be introduced by 6G. He further said that seven indicators and symptoms of sustainable development goals (SDGs) directly pertained to information communication technology. Those questions were still under discussion as to how 6G would affect world.

A teacher of Spain’s university,

Enrique Nava Baro discussed 3D digital image processing. Prof Dr Waliuddin of Sir Syed university, Dr Bhawani Shankar Chaudhry and Dr Umair Korai also spoke.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2023