Kenya has emerged as a thought leader in technology and artificial intelligence (AI), with its trajectory reflecting deliberate strategies at national, continental, and global levels.1 This approach underscores a key principle: Africa must move from being merely a user to a creator of technology.2 Kenya has integrated AI into key industries at the national level in an effort to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. On the continental level, Africa is working to convene stakeholders to share experiences and devise innovative solutions to shared problems. Additionally, Kenya’s leadership in global forums—including its role in the United Nations resolution “Seizing the Opportunities of Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development” and its contributions to the Global Digital Compact negotiations—demonstrates how emerging economies can shape critical global discussions. While Kenya has made substantial progress toward digital transformation, there is much work still to be done.
At the national level, Kenya’s strategy combines infrastructure development with human capital investment. The Kenya Kwanza manifesto outlines plans to lay 100,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable to improve broadband access, with a focus on underserved regions.3 This effort is bolstered by investments in undersea cables, such as the Umoja cable by Google connecting Africa directly to Australia via Kenya, enhancing the country’s position as a digital hub.4 However, internet penetration remains difficult, with access at approximately 40.8%, particularly in rural areas.5 Infrastructure issues, high costs of technology, digital illiteracy, and cultural norms that disproportionately affect women’s opportunities to engage with digital platforms all hinder the ability to bridge this gap quickly.6 Addressing these issues will be crucial for achieving widespread digital inclusion.
In an effort to meet these goals, Kenya has begun to implement practical AI applications to address socioeconomic disparities. In agriculture, the Third Eye Project uses AI-powered drones to monitor soil conditions, detect pests, and identify crop diseases early, helping farmers reduce losses and improve productivity.7 The agricultural sector accounts for 33% of Kenya’s GDP with an additional 27% of GDP coming from linkages between agriculture and other sectors of the economy.8 Better agricultural outputs help ease hunger across the country while the industry creates jobs leading to economic growth. In health care, Tambua Health employs machine learning to diagnose cardiopulmonary diseases by analyzing lung and heart sounds, making diagnoses more efficient and accessible.9 Thirteen percent of all deaths and 25% of all hospital admissions in the country are due to cardiovascular diseases, making this initiative critical.10 In finance, AI-driven Digital Lending Apps assess borrowers’ behavioral data to extend credit to underserved populations, enabling financial inclusion.11 Despite the noticeable increase in Kenyans’ access to mobile money and lending accounts, most Kenyans still lack access to formal financial products such as savings, pensions, or insurance.12
Kenya’s renewable energy leadership also offers a unique lens on how sustainability can intersect with technological progress. With 93% of its electricity generated from renewable sources, including geothermal, wind, and solar, Kenya provides a low-carbon energy base for powering AI infrastructure.13 The integration of renewable energy into the Africa Green Industrialization Initiative exemplifies how Kenya is promoting climate-resilient technological development while fostering global partnerships.14 However, grid stability and flexibility issues remain, making it difficult for Kenya to become a hub for energy-intensive operations such as data centers and AI model training until a solution is found.15
While there are still hurdles to overcome in Kenya’s digital transformation, its many successes have allowed Kenya to play an instrumental role in shaping the digital economy across the continent. For example, as a contributor to Smart Africa’s Digital Economy Blueprint, Kenya has helped create a framework for member states to harness digital technologies for inclusive socioeconomic growth.16 Globally, Kenya has established itself as a key player in AI governance and safety. As the sole African member of the International Network of AI Safety Institutes, Kenya is shaping global standards to ensure AI systems remain ethical, inclusive, and trustworthy.17 Its co-convening of a ministerial side event during the 2023 United Nations General Assembly, focusing on AI’s potential to accelerate the SDGs, exemplifies how nations should address shared challenges such as climate change, health care, and economic inequality and work together toward sustainable solutions.18
Underlying Kenya’s approach is a principle deeply rooted in African culture: trust. Trust fosters cooperation and mutual respect. Recognizing the growing importance of trust in the technological era, President William Ruto has proposed a Global Trust Summit in 2025. This summit aims to convene governments, technology leaders, and civil society to explore how fairness, inclusivity, and sustainability can anchor the next phase of AI development. By focusing on these values, the summit seeks to create a global AI ecosystem where technology enhances trust among people and communities.19
Kenya’s successes in the digital realm are to be celebrated while maintaining focus on the obstacles not yet addressed. Through strategic investments, inclusive policies, and global partnerships, AI and technology can serve as transformative tools for sustainable development. Kenya’s experiences in this space can guide other African nations seeking to achieve the SDGs with the help of advanced technologies. Moving forward, Africa should make the following recommendations a priority:
Digital public infrastructure needs substantial investment to create connectivity that is affordable. This includes provision of publicly accessible internet and centers for accessing the internet for communities without device capability.20
Africa can ease the cost of doing business by creating an open society with democratic freedoms and business-friendly policies that enable the private sector’s ease of doing business. Companies like IBM And Microsoft have already established regional hubs in Nairobi due to the friendly business environment and push for increased democratic protections.21
Education is key. Investing in technology for the classroom provides for high quality education that prepares students for a career in the digital economy. Kenya’s focus on improving technology in the classroom for students at all levels, including in vocational programs, and the significant number of edtech companies that have entered the arena in recent years have created a more inclusive learning environment and taught skills necessary for the workforce.22