By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Kenya has signed a
partnership with Intel Corporation to expand artificial intelligence literacy
through the country’s public library network as part of efforts to build an
AI-ready society and widen access to digital skills.
The partnership was signed
on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) in New
York by Kenya’s Principal Secretary for the State Department of ICT and Digital
Economy, Eng. John Kipchumba Tanui.
The initiative will advance
the AI for Citizens programme through the Kenya National Library Service (KNLS)
and the Mandela AI Hub Foundation, taking AI literacy beyond traditional
classroom settings and into public learning spaces.
According to Tanui, the
partnership will create accessible pathways for young people, communities and
lifelong learners to understand and responsibly use emerging technologies.
By embedding foundational AI
literacy within Kenya’s public learning infrastructure, the programme is
intended to expand access to knowledge and skills needed for meaningful
participation in the digital economy.
The initiative forms part of
Kenya’s broader ambition to build an AI-ready society in which digital skills
and emerging technologies contribute to greater opportunities, innovation and
inclusive economic participation.
Tanui said the partnership
demonstrates an approach to digital transformation that brings together
government institutions, global technology companies and local innovation
ecosystems to expand access to the benefits of artificial intelligence across
the country.
Through the collaboration,
Kenya is positioning its public libraries as additional access points for AI
education and digital learning, extending opportunities beyond conventional
educational institutions.
