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Making AI Work for Everyone: Kenya’s Innovation Test
By Gerald Maithya
Kenya’s innovation story has always grown from the ground up. When challenges arise, local builders respond with creativity and practical solutions. Artificial intelligence (AI) should follow the same path.
But AI is shifting from novelty to necessity. Leadership will now depend on how well countries embed AI into everyday work. This must happen across sectors and skill levels. Without broad adoption, AI risks remaining theoretical rather than transformative.
Recent research shows that global AI adoption remains uneven. The gap between the Global North and South continues to widen. Even the United States trails smaller, highly digitised economies in workforce adoption.
This suggests that access, not ambition, is the main barrier. For Kenya and the rest of Africa, this challenge is urgent.
A report by Microsoft shows that Kenya’s innovation appetite remains strong. However, the systems needed for widespread adoption are still developing. Startups and institutions continue to explore AI in sectors like healthcare and agriculture. Despite this, adoption rose only slightly to 8% in late 2025.
Barriers to adoption
Access remains the biggest hurdle. High smartphone costs and limited connectivity restrict daily use of AI tools. Although progress has been made, only 33.5% of Kenyans use mobile internet.
Skills shortages present another challenge. Kenya needs more talent to build and manage AI systems. At the same time, talent migration continues to slow progress.
Language also limits adoption. Many AI models rely on English data. This excludes local languages and reduces cultural relevance.
Regulation adds another layer of complexity. Overlapping mandates create uncertainty around governance and data privacy. This slows innovation and increases public hesitation.
Building the foundation
Kenya can address these challenges through stronger digital infrastructure. Expanding digitisation across sectors will improve data quality and enable AI at scale.
For example, requiring tertiary students to digitise research projects can build valuable datasets. It can also encourage a digital-first mindset.
Clear and supportive regulation is equally important. Policy should build trust while encouraging innovation.
The role of institutions
Organisations like the Kenya Private Sector Alliance can help drive adoption. They can offer training, workshops and sector-specific guidance. This will help demystify AI and correct misconceptions.
Early adopters already show what is possible. The Kenya Red Cross uses AI chatbots to expand mental health support. These tools reach millions in both English and Swahili. AI is also helping improve telehealth and access to medicine.
Making AI Work for Everyone: Kenya’s Innovation Test. Gerald Maithya
Language is key to inclusion. Countries like South Korea saw faster adoption once AI tools worked in local languages.
Kenya can follow a similar path. Initiatives like Paza, developed by Microsoft Research, aim to support low-resource languages. The project focuses on building speech AI for Kenyan dialects. This can expand access and make AI more relevant to local users.
Turning momentum into scale
Kenya already has strong foundations. It has ideas, entrepreneurs and growing demand. The next step is coordinated action.
The country must invest in infrastructure, build skills and develop localized AI solutions. It also needs clear governance frameworks that promote trust.
If done well, AI can go beyond being a trend. It can become a practical tool for productivity, inclusion and shared prosperity—embedded in how Kenya works, learns and grows.
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