On December 23, 2024, Lateef Ayinde, a PhD candidate in the School of Information (iSchool), had his research published in Business Information Review, a Sage Journal. He was the lead author, with co-authors Ayoola Oluwaseun Ajayi and Ayansewa Adedeji, fellow PhD students in the iSchool.

His paper, Reimagining the Roles and Skills of Information Professionals in the 5IR, dives into how the fifth industrial revolution (5IR) is reshaping the role of information professionals (IPs) and outlines crucial strategies for these professionals to not just survive but thrive in this rapidly evolving landscape.

The key findings from his research urges IPs to embrace continuous learning, adopt responsible data stewardship, collaborate across disciplines, and prioritize human-centric and green practices. Ayinde’s study calls for IPs to stay adaptable and focused on providing goal-oriented information services that meet the demands of the 5IR.

Additionally, Ayinde gave a virtual presentation on November 14, 2024, titled “Efficacy of Artificial Intelligence Literacy in Support of Academics Teaching in Universities,” at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.

“The purpose of publishing and presenting is to add to the knowledge especially in the era of Generative Artificial Intelligence when skills, knowledge, and roles of Information Professionals are changing drastically,” Ayinde said. “There is a need for awareness, learning, upskilling, re-skilling, and mega-skilling to survive in the 5th industrial revolution.”

To students aspiring to follow a similar path, Ayinde advises, “Keep reading, researching, writing, and making an impact.”