Commercialising research and embracing Artificial Intelligence were the central themes at Babcock University on Tuesday, as the institution formally activated a structured framework to connect its academic output to the global innovation economy.

Speaking at the 2026 Artificial Intelligence, Babcock Innovation Ventures and Commercialisation Summit held at the university's 600 capacity amphitheatre in Ilisan Remo, Ogun State, Vice Chancellor Prof Afolarin Ojewole cautioned against resistance to Artificial Intelligence, describing it as a technological force that should be deployed to improve lives and drive 21st century economic growth.

Ojewole maintained that universities operating in the modern economy had no business taking pride in research that remained confined to academic journals.

"The global innovation economy does not reward institutions for what they know; it rewards them for what they build, what they deploy, and what they bring to market," the Vice Chancellor stated.

He disclosed that the launch of Babcock Innovation Ventures was driven by a deliberate institutional self assessment.

"We looked at our research output and asked: how much of it reaches the communities that need it? We looked at our graduates and asked: how many of them are creating enterprises rather than just seeking employment?" Ojewole queried.

He described BIV as a university wide commercialisation and venture development framework integrating four layers: academic systems, research and innovation infrastructure, entrepreneurship development capacity, and industry and capital engagement pathways.

Summit Cochair, Dr Raymond Okoro, noted that BIV represented a shift from knowledge creation to structured commercialisation, designed to translate research into real world solutions through a coordinated ecosystem of governance, industry collaboration, and venture development.

Guest speaker Nicky Verd of Digitally Fit, South Africa, urged professionals and graduates to acquire relevant digital skills to remain competitive as automation and Artificial Intelligence reshape the global workforce.

"You must be ready to evolve, you must get prepared to disrupt, not to be disrupted, whatever your degrees, you must prioritise having relevant digital skills," Verd advised.

Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu, while endorsing technology adoption in education, cautioned against over reliance on tools such as AI and ChatGPT, noting that information obtained from such platforms required independent fact checking to avoid inaccuracies.