NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 17 — Kenya must invest in talent, digital infrastructure and skills to maximise the economic opportunities presented by artificial intelligence while preparing workers for job displacement, Special Envoy on Technology Ambassador Philip Thigo has said.

📻 Breaking It Down

Speaking on Capital in the Morning , Thigo said Kenya’s greatest advantage in the AI era is its young, digitally connected population, but warned that skills must translate into products and services capable of generating economic value.

“The greatest opportunity is on talent. But also the next part is talent, turning the talent into opportunity. It’s not just about having people who are skilled. It’s having folks who are skilled and build stuff that actually create economic value,” he said on Monday.

His remarks come as AI adoption expands rapidly in Kenya. DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update , based on GWI survey data, ranked Kenya first among countries covered for recent AI use, with 97.5 per cent of respondents aged 16 and above reporting that they had used at least one AI tool in the previous month.

📌 What You Need to Know

Thigo cautioned, however, against interpreting the figure as meaning Kenya has the largest absolute number of AI users, noting that it reflects usage relative to population.

He said expanding connectivity would expose more Kenyans to digital technologies, while Kenya must simultaneously strengthen the ecosystem needed to turn that adoption into economic gains.

Thigo said Kenya needs greater investment across research, local capital, infrastructure, intellectual property, public procurement and access to markets.

“We need to build capability across the verticals, whether it’s research… Capital, how we invest, especially investing locally. Currently, a lot of our investments are external. I think for me, that’s a risk,” he said.

He urged Kenya to adopt a global outlook in developing digital businesses, arguing that technology allows Kenyan talent to serve international markets without physically exporting products.

“Any Kenyan right now can work anywhere from Kenya… It’s not about shipping in a box. It’s about being able to deliver from where you are and looking at the world as your market,” he said.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya