AI adoption in Kenya: Key barriers

Kenya's AI adoption landscape reveals a dynamic market driven by young leadership and characterised by strong privacy governance combined with ambitious technological implementation.

A comprehensive survey by 301 Kenyan business professionals shows a nation where 96% of organisations have begun their AI journey, led by the youngest demographic of senior decision-makers observed across African markets.

Key findings from the survey demonstrate that 35.2 per cent of Kenyan organisations have achieved widespread or advanced AI implementation, despite identifying lack of technical expertise (48.8 per cent ) as their primary barrier.

This apparent contradiction highlights Kenya's remarkable ability to overcome capability gaps through strategic partnerships and innovative sourcing approaches, with 47.2 per cent leveraging custom solutions or AI-embedded enterprise applications.