By Ebinum Samuel
As artificial intelligence rapidly changes classrooms across the world, renowned educator Professor Adedeji Badiru is urging students to move beyond the culture of copying AI-generated answers and embrace technology that genuinely improves learning.His answer to the growing challenge is AskProf, an AI-powered educational platform built to help students understand concepts, strengthen critical thinking and retain knowledge rather than simply generating instant responses.
With more than four decades of teaching experience, Badiru said AskProf was developed around a simple educational philosophy: AI should be a learning companion, not a substitute for independent thinking.”Students shouldn’t rely on artificial intelligence merely to get answers,” he said. “They should use it to become smarter.”Unlike general-purpose AI chatbots, AskProf is purpose-built for education. It supports students preparing for examinations including JAMB, WAEC, NECO, Post-UTME, SAT, ACT and AP, while providing interactive learning tools such as flashcards, quizzes, study summaries and personalised progress tracking.
The platform analyses each learner’s strengths and weaknesses, enabling students to spend more time mastering difficult topics instead of repeatedly memorising answers.For teachers and lecturers, AskProf offers digital classroom tools that allow educators to create virtual classes, monitor students’ learning progress and identify subjects requiring additional attention.Badiru revealed that the idea behind AskProf was conceived more than 20 years ago when he registered the AskProf.com domain with the intention of answering students’ academic questions online. The concept became fully achievable only after advances in artificial intelligence made personalised learning at scale possible.He said the emergence of modern generative AI inspired him to finally bring the project to life, while collaboration with AI developer Damilola Adelaja accelerated its development.Although enthusiastic about AI’s educational potential, Badiru cautioned against treating AI-generated responses as infallible. AskProf includes built-in reminders encouraging students to verify information independently and allows users to rate responses to improve accuracy.”Don’t just use AI to get answers,” he said. “Use it to become smarter.”Badiru also explained why the platform is available free of charge.
According to him, quality education should not be determined by a student’s financial circumstances.”My learning philosophy is that we all learn better when we all have equal access,” he said. “Making AskProf free helps level the educational playing field.”Designed to function efficiently on modest smartphones and low-data connections, AskProf was built with Nigerian students in mind while maintaining global relevance.The platform already attracts users from both Nigeria and the United States, with educators increasingly recommending it as a supplementary learning tool.
Looking ahead, Badiru disclosed that dedicated mobile applications and institutional partnerships are already in development as AskProf expands its reach across schools and universities.Rather than competing with teachers, he said, AskProf seeks to extend the impact of great teaching beyond the classroom by making personalised academic support available anytime and anywhere.”Our mission is to prove that AI can inspire learning instead of replacing it,” Badiru said. “When technology teaches students how to think, not just what to answer, everyone wins.”
