AI sovereignty in Kenya: Building a future rooted in local ownership and innovation

Kenya has become a technological centre for East Africa and is often referred to as the “Silicon Savannah.” Its AI-focused startups are turning the country into a poster child for developmental leapfrogging in the Global South. However, a more fundamental concern is that future AI advancements in the country are aimed toward local inclusivity and local ownership, rather than outsourcing to foreign actors.

AI has the potential to transform agriculture, finance, healthcare, and education. From yield-enhancing precision farming tools to AI-powered credit scoring for underserved populations, AI is transforming the social and economic landscape in Kenya. The problem, however, is that a disparity exists. Rural populations lag in comparison to their urban counterparts, which widens inequality. Gender inequality, coupled with a lack of skilled professionals, makes building a domestic AI ecosystem very difficult.

Existing AI systems are often made with foreign cultures and values embedded in their code, and because of this, AI will never work seamlessly with the local context. Moreover, with the vast amounts of data that Kenyan citizens generate, monetization and control are often in the hands of foreign companies. This form of “digital colonization” is a major threat to Kenya’s autonomy.

How Kenya can secure AI sovereignty

Increasingly, AI sovereignty is becoming a major issue necessitating calls for a strategy to protect the nation’s “technological growth,” ensuring inclusivity and effectively serving the local needs. This requires a comprehensive approach that combines community innovation, skill-building, governance, and investment in infrastructure.

Investing in infrastructure and skills

A cornerstone of true sovereignty is local control of the foundational technology layers. Kenya should be strengthening investment in infrastructure ranging from fibre optic networks to data centers, cloud and edge computing networks. Rather than depending on overseas services, partnerships, and focused incremental infrastructural development could ease current dependencies.

Human capital is equally important. A skilled human workforce is essential for AI technologies to advance. AI literacy should be taught from primary and secondary institutions all the way up to universities to prepare the future generations for an AI-enriched world. Inclusive vocational training, gender gap-targeted initiatives, and public-private collaborations will help bridge the gap. Universities should transform into AI research hubs, which can educate skilled personnel, incubate startups, and help industries through cooperative innovation.

Prioritizing innovation and data ownership

Active engagement from local stakeholders is necessary to ensure AI technologies are meaningful. Farmers and small-sized businesspeople should be empowered to design technologies that suit their needs instead of being treated as end-users. This way, innovations will be driven by local problems, addressing concerns like food security and healthcare access.

Rethinking data ownership is equally essential. People could be empowered to reclaim their digital footprint using data cooperatives and benefit-sharing model proposals. Offering fair value for data within its borders enables Kenya to avoid exploitation while fostering a digital economy that is equitable.

Strengthening governance and regional collaboration

AI sovereignty has to do with governance, too. The unchecked enforcement powers of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner must be revised to enforce citizens’ rights better. Enforcing algorithmic impact assessments for high-risk AI systems would improve transparency and accountability. Affected algorithms will be evaluated for potential impacts. Moreover, data localization policies, which include restricting sensitive health, financial, and governmental data to national borders, are critical for national security.

There lies another opportunity in regional collaboration. With the help of neighboring countries, Kenya can integrate AI policies, share assets, and have a more united influence in international technology governance. This would lessen the dependence on foreign firms and improve Africa’s negotiation position in the digital economy.

Toward a Kenya-centered AI future

AI sovereignty is not of isolationism but rather centered around equilibrium. Foreign capital and partnership will still be of great value, but the country must have a set baseline—domestic ownership, inclusivity, and sustainability. Public AI registries, cooperative infrastructures, and data commons are potential pathways to ensure local control and global partnership.

Above all, Kenya’s vision on the use of AI in the country underscores the importance of self-determination. It illustrates how Kenya reserves the right to shape its own reality through the development of local startups, creating necessary infrastructure, training local talent, and deploying policies rooted in Kenyan ideals. With this vision, AI will work for the people, encapsulate Kenyan values, and create a shared future of innovation and development.

Having the foresight to pursue AI sovereignty would put Kenya in a unique and advantageous position. It would unlock new opportunities to not only secure the country’s digital future, but to also empower other countries in the Global South.