Kinshasa, April 21st, 2026 (CPA).– An expert on Tuesday called for caution in the use of digital technology in scientific research, during an interview in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, amid the growing number of users of this tool. “Digital technology must be used with caution as it is a research tool, but also a danger for young researchers with generative artificial intelligence, which removes the essence of effort from students,” said Professor Kodjo Ndukuma, an expert in cyber security and digital economy. According to him, digital technology represents both an opportunity and a risk for scientific research.
“Although the Internet has become an infosphere, with dematerialized libraries and a large amount of research data available online, generative artificial intelligence removes the essence of effort from students and also reduces the originality of researchers, since it is enough to resort to tools such as ChatGPT, Meta AI or Siri to have one’s work done,” he added. He further recommended the establishment of research centers capable of detecting cases of plagiarism and other abuses, while supporting researchers in the proper use of digital technology. This notably involves providing access to reference libraries and reliable online scientific journals, in order to enable researchers to publish their intellectual works under good conditions. Digital technology refers to all information technologies (computing, networks and telecommunications) that process data in digital form. Beyond its technical aspect, it constitutes a major cultural and societal transformation, influencing ways of living, working and consuming, and establishing itself as a strategic lever for the economy.