A Professor of Surveying and Geoinformatics (Gravimetric Geodesy) at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Prof. Timothy Idowu, has called for the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with conventional geophysical knowledge to achieve more reliable, accurate, and explainable outcomes in mineral exploration.
Idowu made the call while delivering the 189th Inaugural Lecture of the university on Tuesday, December 9, 2025. The lecture was titled “Unlocking Subterranean Secrets: Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Enhanced Gravimetric Geodesy for Detecting Underground Beneficial Graves.”
He explained that while the growing integration of AI with geodesy and geophysical methods holds significant promise for breakthroughs in subsurface exploration, reliance on AI alone poses notable challenges. According to him, although AI-enhanced gravimetric geodesy offers high interpretative power in gravity data processing, it is often constrained by issues of data quality, interpretability, and high computational demand.
“AI-enhanced gravimetric geodesy represents a significant leap forward in mineral exploration,” Idowu said. “However, its effectiveness depends on a hybrid approach that balances data-driven AI models with established geophysical principles.”
The professor urged practitioners to adopt multi-source data integration, stressing that AI systems should combine gravimetric data with seismic, magnetic, electromagnetic, and remote sensing datasets to improve the reliability of subsurface interpretations. He also advocated the development of geo-intelligent platforms capable of handling massive datasets generated from airborne, satellite, and ground surveys.
Beyond mineral exploration, Idowu highlighted the expanding role of AI in education, noting that tools such as machine learning algorithms, natural language processing, and generative AI are transforming teaching, research, and administrative processes through personalized learning and automation. However, he cautioned that increased access to AI tools also poses threats to academic integrity, including plagiarism and unauthorized collaboration.
He identified key areas of AI to include machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, robotics, expert systems, and knowledge representation and reasoning, noting that AI applications now span sectors such as healthcare, finance, transportation, agriculture, education, security, and geosciences.
On AI applications in geoscience—the study of the Earth’s structure, composition, processes, and history—Idowu said the technology is being used in mineral resource exploration, earthquake and volcanic prediction, climate change modelling, environmental remediation, water resource management, planetary science, space exploration, and groundwater exploration. He added that major application areas include remote sensing and mapping, hydrology and flood modelling, seismology and seismic tomography, geo-hazards and disaster risk modelling, subsurface imaging, and short-term climate and weather forecasting.
Explaining how AI has enhanced gravimetric geodesy, Idowu described the integration of AI with gravimetric data as a paradigm shift in geodesy and geophysics. He noted that AI improves anomaly detection, predictive modelling, and large-scale data handling, but emphasized that its success depends on careful alignment with geophysical laws.
Among his recommendations were the adoption of real-time and autonomous exploration systems capable of interpreting gravity data during airborne or drone surveys; advanced neural networks for improved resolution and noise reduction; cloud computing and edge AI to enable gravimetric data processing as a service; and the deployment of lightweight AI models on portable devices for in-situ data interpretation in rugged terrains. He also underscored the role of AI-driven gravimetry in sustainable and green exploration, particularly in locating geothermal reservoirs and aquifers.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of FUTA, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, who chaired the lecture, described Prof. Idowu as a seasoned academic with a distinguished career. She noted that he has mentored numerous graduates, held key management positions within and outside the university, and served as editor and reviewer for several local and international academic journals.
