By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
Kenya has intensified its
preparations for the adoption and governance of artificial intelligence (AI),
with the Joint Committee of Cabinet receiving a high-level briefing on the
country's AI readiness and the strategic choices required to position the technology
as a driver of national development.
The briefing held in Karen,
Nairobi, was delivered by Kenya's Special Envoy on Technology, Philip Thigo,
during a meeting chaired by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
Discussions focused on how
Kenya can deploy artificial intelligence to improve productivity, strengthen
public service delivery, stimulate innovation, create jobs, enhance national
security, modernize agriculture, build climate resilience, improve energy
systems and accelerate economic transformation.
According to Thigo, AI has
become a strategic national capability that requires coordinated policy
direction, institutional alignment and sustained investment in local capacity
to ensure the technology delivers tangible benefits for citizens.
He emphasized that Kenya's
approach should prioritize the responsible deployment of AI across sectors
where it can significantly improve development outcomes, while ensuring
appropriate safeguards are in place to protect citizens as adoption expands.
The Cabinet was also briefed
on ongoing initiatives by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the
Digital Economy to advance Kenya's digital transformation agenda and strengthen
the country's readiness for AI adoption. Thigo acknowledged the Ministry's work
in laying the institutional and policy foundations needed to support the
integration of AI into government and the wider economy.
