NAIROBI,KENYA-Kenya has emerged as the world’s leading country in artificial intelligence (AI) usage, reflecting the rapid integration of AI tools into work, education, business and everyday digital activities.
According to the Digital 2026 Mid-year Global Update Report, 97.5 percent of Kenyan internet users aged 16 and above are using AI, placing the country ahead of the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Egypt.
The findings highlight Kenya’s growing position as a digital technology hub in Africa, with AI increasingly becoming part of how people learn, communicate, conduct business and perform their daily work.
Unlike the early stages of digital adoption, when technology was largely associated with internet access and mobile money, AI is now being incorporated directly into professional and personal activities.
The growing use of AI has been particularly evident among students, professionals, entrepreneurs and companies seeking to improve efficiency and productivity.
Learners are increasingly turning to AI-powered tools to research topics, understand complex concepts, generate ideas and assist with writing and other academic tasks.
At the workplace, employees are using AI to analyse information, prepare documents, generate content, automate repetitive tasks and improve decision-making.
Businesses, meanwhile, are increasingly adopting AI to reduce operational costs and improve customer experiences.
Companies are using the technology for customer support, data analysis, fraud detection, credit assessment and other processes that previously required significant human intervention.
Kenyan companies are also accelerating investment in AI-powered services.
Safaricom is among the major firms incorporating artificial intelligence into its operations, with AI being applied in areas including M-Pesa customer care and financial fraud detection.
The adoption of AI is expected to enable businesses to process large volumes of data more quickly while identifying unusual transactions and responding to customers more efficiently.
For financial service providers, the technology is particularly significant as digital transactions continue to grow and companies face increasing pressure to detect fraud while maintaining reliable customer services.
Kenya’s 97.5 percent AI usage rate places it at the top of the global ranking contained in the report.
The United Arab Emirates came second at 94.2 percent, followed by Indonesia at 93.6 percent and Egypt at 93.4 percent.
In Africa, South Africa recorded 89.9 percent, while Nigeria stood at 89.4 percent, placing both among countries with high levels of AI adoption.
The figures suggest that African internet users are increasingly embracing AI technologies, challenging the perception that advanced digital technologies are primarily concentrated in developed economies.
The rapid adoption of AI presents significant opportunities for Kenya, particularly in education, financial services, healthcare, agriculture, customer service and small businesses.
However, the increased use of the technology is also expected to raise questions about digital skills, data privacy, cybersecurity, misinformation and the impact of automation on employment.
As more Kenyans incorporate AI into their daily activities, experts and policymakers are likely to face growing pressure to ensure that users understand both the benefits and risks associated with the technology.
For Kenya, the high adoption rate could provide an opportunity to position the country as a regional centre for AI innovation, provided investment in digital skills, infrastructure, responsible AI policies and local technology development keeps pace with demand.
The latest figures therefore point to a significant shift in Kenya’s digital economy: AI is moving beyond being an emerging technology and is increasingly becoming part of everyday life for millions of internet users.
