July 16th is a day we commemorate Artificial Intelligence Appreciation Day which seeks to highlight the positive achievements of A.I. technology to humanity while also shining a spotlight on A.I. ethics.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept; it’s a dynamic force shaping industries and transforming societies globally. AI is becoming a game-changer in Kenya, driving innovation and offering solutions to local challenges. As we delve into the latest trends and advancements, it’s clear that AI is not just a buzzword—it’s a reality reshaping the Kenyan landscape profoundly and this is how AI has made an impact in Agriculture, Healthcare and Civic Education
Empowering Agriculture
One of the most impactful applications of AI in Kenya is in the agricultural sector. With over 70% of the population relying on agriculture for their livelihood, AI-driven solutions are crucial.
There have been multiple developments in the area of agriculture like our very own @iLabAfrica innovations looking to aid in helping smallholder farmers leverage weather data for climate-smart agriculture [https://ilabafrica.strathmore.edu/empowering-smallholder-farmers-through-iot-and-ai/] and PlantVillage is an AI tool developed to aid farmers in crop pest and disease detection.
other projects funded by the ATPS through AI4D program looking to solve issues around disease detection and prevention and resource management can be found here [https://atpsnet.org/ai4afs-hub/].
More work here is being done around making these tools more democratic and accessible to all farmers in lieu of issues with internet connectivity (only 42% of Kenya’s population has access to the internet), access to smartphones, and gender disparity.
Revolutionizing Healthcare
AI is quickly disrupting healthcare in Africa, and its potential is an ongoing discussion, particularly in addressing the global burden of diseases, currently at 25%. With the automation of medical procedures, AI can help health professionals do more with limited resources.
AI is revolutionizing healthcare in Kenya by improving diagnostics and patient care. One example is Jacaranda Health which assists pregnant women with advice and guidance throughout their pregnancy journeys. They employ novel machine learning algorithms that can detect risk from conversations and alert the women and relevant facilities for referral to appropriate care [https://jacarandahealth.org/measuring-felt-respect-can-ai-models-understand-sentiment-in-conversational-data/.]
Another AI innovation that is completely making an impact in healthcare, Peek Vision: [https://peekvision.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Peek-Vision-Kenya-VIP-overview-June-2023.pd] is an AI-driven platform enhancing eye care by enabling community health workers to diagnose and treat eye conditions using a smartphone app. These innovations are making healthcare more accessible, especially in remote areas, and bridging the gap between patients and medical professionals.
Enabler for Civic Education
The past four weeks have seen an awakening of civil unrest led by Kenyan Gen Z and Millenials sparked by the controversial Finance Bill 2024/25 and has now morphed into a call for good governance and accountability. Unlike others, what has been interesting with these protests is the use of data to point out misuse of public funds and instances of poor governance by current and past government administrators. We have seen tons of infographics contextualizing data from political statements and visualizing alternative uses for funds that have been mismanaged allegedly.
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| @_wangwe “Your president likes singing about Singapore. Until he closes this gap, we don’t want to hear it.” | @_wangwe “Here’s what 1.1 trillion can do for scale” |
An AI use case that has emerged from this is the use of Generative AI to analyze and break down government documents such as the Kenyan constitution (Kenya Law Guide) and the finance bill (Finance Bill GPT), both built by Kelvin Ndemo, with over 10,000 conversations.
Other notable contributions include an analysis of Kenyan MPs’ contributions (13th Parliament by @mwangi_kabiru) and the mismanagement of county funds in Northern Kenya (Misuse of Allocated Funds Summary (NFD) by @axmedalxender). These tools, in particular, leverage generative AI to break down dense legislative texts, like the Kenyan constitution and Finance Bills, into simpler, more digestible summaries.
This empowers citizens with a better understanding and awareness of their rights, governmental procedures, and legislative changes. ChatGPT Plus offers an intuitive user interface to create and configure a personalized GPT (Generative Pre-training Transformer) that can reference a specific knowledge base.
Example of Analysis of the 2022 Budget Report for Garissa County by @axmedalxender using the Misuse of Allocated Funds Summary (NFD)
Another example of a summary of areas of concern as an ICT practitioner in ICT Authority Bill 2024 that is currently at the public participation stage by @msnmongare summarized using ICT Authority Bill 2024 GPT.
However, the negative use and fictitious claims of use of generative AI looking to spread misinformation and propaganda also featured heavily during this period. As AI technology advances, so do the methods employed by malicious actors to exploit its capabilities for nefarious purposes. Generative AI, with its ability to create highly realistic text, images, and videos, has become a powerful tool for spreading false information and manipulating public opinion.
The Road Ahead…
The rhythm of innovation in Kenya is only set to intensify as AI continues to evolve. The government, private sector, and educational institutions are increasingly collaborating to foster a conducive environment for AI development.
Strathmore University’s @iLabAfrica is at the forefront of AI research and development, working on projects that range from AI-driven healthcare solutions to smart city innovations. Investments in research, infrastructure, and talent are essential to harness the full potential of AI and ensure that its benefits are widely distributed.
As we move forward, it’s crucial to address challenges such as data privacy, ethical considerations, and the digital divide. By doing so, Kenya can ensure that innovation in AI leads to inclusive and sustainable development, creating a future where technology serves the needs of all its people.
By @iLabAfrica Research and Innovation Centre, Strathmore University