Kenya is confronting a critical crossroads in its digital development. ChatGPT adoption has reached staggering levels, with a recent report showing 42.1% of Kenyan internet users aged 16 and above used the AI chatbot in the past month, nearly double the global average of 22.3%. Additionally, Kenya contributes 5.9% of global ChatGPT traffic, placing it just behind the U.S. and India.
Such rapid uptake has raised alarms. Kenya’s Supreme Court, led by Justice Isaac Lenaola, recently issued a stern warning to lawyers after discovering instances where legal submissions generated using AI included completely fabricated legal citations, threatening the integrity of court judgments. Meanwhile, educators and policymakers are voicing concern over the rampant use of ChatGPT in schools as students commonly deploy it for writing essays, test preparation, and research, thus sparking fears around academic dishonesty and reduced critical thinking.
In response, Kenya is accelerating its efforts to regulate AI. Legislation like the Kenya Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Society Bill, 2023, and a companion motion in Parliament, aim to establish regulatory frameworks ensuring ethical and responsible AI development. The government is also collaborating with the EU to integrate AI literacy and platforms like ChatGPT into the national school curriculum, so as to balance access with safeguards.
The fintech, education, and creative sectors continue to leverage ChatGPT’s capabilities, but with serious oversights. Industry analysts warn that unchecked expansion risks undermining trust and legal clarity, while others see regulation as Kenya’s opportunity to lead in safe and innovative AI adoption across Africa.
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