According to John Syekei, Partner and Head of IP and Technology at Bowmans Kenya, the process of developing the Strategy began as part of a broader push to harness emerging technologies for economic and social transformation.

The formation of the National Emerging Technologies and AI Strategy Technical Working Group brought together experts from government agencies, development partners, the private sector, academia, and civil society organisations. Richard Odongo, a Senior Associate in Bowmans' IP & Technology practice, represented Bowmans on this Working Group.

Odongo notes that the goal of the Strategy was to create a roadmap for responsible AI development while ensuring alignment with Kenya's broader digital economy agenda.

"The Strategy aims to address gaps in AI regulation, investment and skills while fostering innovation in key sectors," he says.

Ariana Issaias, Partner at Bowmans in Kenya, explains that currently, Kenya lacks a comprehensive AI regulatory framework.

"While existing laws such as the Data Protection Act 2019, Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act 2018, Intellectual Property (IP) laws, and Consumer Protection Act 2012, offer some guidance, they are currently insufficient to address AI's complexities.

"The absence of a specific AI regulatory framework creates governance challenges in areas such as ethics, data privacy and safe AI deployment. Kenya's current regulatory environment for AI is fragmented, with multiple bodies working independently without a unified approach," she explains.

A further goal of the Strategy was to position Kenya as a leader in AI R&D, innovation, and commercialisation for inclusive socio-economic development.

"It aligns with Vision 2030, the ICT Masterplan (2022–2032), and the African Union Agenda 2063, all of which emphasise technology-driven economic growth and improved service delivery. The African Union's Continental AI Strategy (2024) also provides a cogent regional perspective on AI adoption," says Assaias.

Key focus areas and recommendations

The new AI Strategy encompasses six key areas, namely, AI Digital Infrastructure; Data Research and Development; Talent; Governance; Investment; Ethics, Equity and Inclusion.

The environmental analysis in the Strategy also assesses Kenya's social and economic environment, regional context, national context, political environment and technology ecosystem in relation to Kenya's readiness for AI adoption at scale.

Odongo notes that, in terms of Kenya's AI Readiness Assessment, Kenya has been rated within a variety of these indices, including safety and government AI readiness. Overall, the assessment is based on five core dimensions, namely Legal & Regulatory, Social & Cultural, Scientific & Educational, Economic, Technological and Infrastructural.

"The key stakeholders also identified under the Strategy's stakeholder groupings include AI developers (technology companies and technology service providers), communities, regulatory agencies, researchers and investors," he says.

The new AI strategy was developed through a consultative process that began in April 2024, and it seeks to create an enabling environment for AI innovation, economic growth and inclusive development.

"It examines the relationship between emerging technologies and AI, considering global, regional and national influences on AI adoption," Odongo  notes.

The document references key frameworks like the Constitution of Kenya (2010), the Data Protection Act (2019), and the National ICT Policy (2019) while also integrating broader digital strategies such as the National Digital Economy Blueprint and the Kenya National Digital Master Plan (2022-2032).

Vital reforms and recommendations in the AI Strategy

Syekei points out that the Kenyan Government and ecosystem stakeholders have identified several high-priority use cases across key sectors aligned with Kenya's Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and corresponding pillars in Kenya's Vision 2030.

The key sectors prioritised for this Strategy include healthcare; education; agriculture; public service delivery; security; micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises; the creative sector and sustainability.

"The Strategy proposes several technical and regulatory reforms to create an enabling environment for AI adoption including cloud computing and AI infrastructure, addressing skills and capacity gaps, strengthening data protection and governance, and AI decision-making, fairness and data quality," says Syekei.

Impact and next steps for Kenya's AI ecosystem

The Strategy serves as a framework to guide AI adoption and governance in Kenya and is spearheaded by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy.

"The launch of the AI Strategy signals new opportunities for technology companies, startups, and investors in Kenya. The proposed reforms could unlock funding for AI innovation, create new jobs, and attract global AI firms to set up operations in Kenya," explains Syekei.

Assaias notes that other African countries that have developed similar AI strategies include Algeria, Benin, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tunisia and Uganda.

"The strategy documents published by these countries also discuss AI in the context of public sector reform, education, research, national competitiveness, and mutually beneficial partnerships with technology companies," she says.

Issaias concludes, "The consensus on the African continent is to take advantage of the opportunities offered by AI while mitigating the associated adoption and implementation challenges, such as those highlighted in Kenya's Strategy."