While Kenya has yet to adopt a national AI strategy, the East African nation has taken significant steps towards digital transformation and creating an environment conducive to AI development. In 2018, the government established a Blockchain and AI taskforce to provide recommendations on harnessing these emerging technologies. The taskforce identified three key areas for AI application: anti-corruption efforts, the financial sector, and enhancing election fairness.
Building on this, Kenya released its Digital Economy Blueprint in 2019, followed by the Digital Economy Strategy in 2020. These initiatives prioritise areas such as digital infrastructure, business innovation, education, and skills development. In 2022, the government issued the Kenya Digital Master Plan 2022-2032, outlining 20 flagship programmes across four pillars: digital infrastructure, digital government services, digital skills, and digital enterprise.
Kenya has made some headway in AI research and development, with total investment reaching approximately $120 million over the last decade. The government has funded research in AI applications, particularly in areas like agriculture and space technology. In 2022, Kenya embarked on developing the Konza Technopolis Smart City, allocating $73 million to enhance the country's innovation ecosystem and digital economy.
Kenya has established mechanisms for public consultation in policy-making, including through the Communications Authority of Kenya's Public Consultation portal. The country has also made progress in data protection, enacting the Data Protection Act in 2019 and establishing the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner in 2020.
However, concerns remain regarding algorithmic transparency and discrimination. A study by Human Rights Watch found that a government-endorsed online learning platform shared children's data with AdTech companies without proper privacy notices or consent mechanisms.
Kenya has implemented biometric systems in various sectors, including healthcare and national identification. The controversial Huduma Namba biometric ID system, launched in 2019, faced allegations of insufficient privacy protections. The government is now planning to revamp the ID scheme as part of its digitisation efforts.
In 2018, the Kenyan National Police Service launched facial recognition technology on major roads and highways through an urban CCTV network. Plans are underway to upgrade this system to enable faster and more accurate identification of suspects.
Freedom House rates Kenya as "Partly Free," noting concerns about government interference with privacy rights and the use of cybercrime laws to crack down on online critics. However, the country has a vibrant media and civil society sector.
Kenya has endorsed the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI and participated in the first AI Safety Summit in 2023, committing to international cooperation on AI governance. The country is also actively engaging with the OECD AI Observatory, reporting on various AI initiatives and policies.
While Kenya has made significant progress in digital transformation and creating a foundation for AI development, challenges remain in establishing comprehensive AI governance frameworks.
This country report is our interpretation and summary of the "CAIDP Artificial Intelligence & Democratic Values Index 2023". The full report can be found here - https://www.caidp.org/reports/aidv-2023