Harness technology with ethics and adaptability, Professor L.M. Patnaik tells graduates at Gulbarga University convocation

Professor L.M. Patnaik urges Gulbarga University graduates to blend technology with ethics and adaptability for a better future.

Emphasising that globalisation and rapid technological advancement are reshaping the world in unprecedented ways, Professor L.M. Patnaik, former vice-chancellor of the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (Deemed University), Pune, called upon young graduates to combine technological excellence with ethics, adaptability and social responsibility.

Addressing the 43rd annual convocation of Gulbarga University on February 24, Prof. Patnaik said the world is passing through critical times marked by ‘conflict, strife, intolerance and economic challenges’. He stated that ‘the entire world is looking at India with admiration because of its large population of younger generation like you with a huge potential to catalyse positive change for an enjoyable living on this planet’.

Referring to sweeping technological changes, Prof. Patnaik said recent years have witnessed ‘unparallel advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, Cyber Security, Internet of Things, Wireless technology, unconventional computing paradigm such as Quantum and Bio-Inspired Computing’. While these developments hold enormous promise, he cautioned that their deployment must be guided by ethical standards and social awareness.

Artificial Intelligence, he observed, holds great promise for the future, but concerns remain about its impact on jobs and education, bias, lack of ethics and moral sense, and its inability to explain decisions. The digital revolution, he added, has been globally pervasive, disrupting established norms, and unleashing an unprecedented era of innovation with far-reaching implications for science, industry, economics and public policy. At the same time, he warned that such technologies could exacerbate inequalities, deepen exclusion and discrimination, and undermine privacy.

Highlighting India’s demographic advantage, Prof. Patnaik noted that the country is among the youngest nations in the world, with 54% of its population below 25 years of age and 62% in the working-age group. Skill development, he said, is a powerful tool to empower this working population and enhance their contribution to economic growth.

Governor and Chancellor Thaawar Chand Gehlot, who presided over the convocation, said the path to success is never easy and is often marked by challenges and changing circumstances. However, he told graduates, self-confidence, strong moral values and a spirit of hard work would enable them to overcome obstacles and succeed in life. He expressed confidence that the education they had received would not only help them build successful careers but also make their lives meaningful.