Professor Bitange Ndemo, a technology advocate and former Permanent Secretary for Information and Communications, has affirmed that Kenya must digitize its indigenous languages and develop sovereign artificial intelligence to unlock inclusive growth and create livelihoods.

Speaking during a fireside chat moderated by Michael Onyango at the 7th Edition of Pwani Innovation Week in Mombasa, demo challenged the audience to translate concepts such as “productivity” and “data” into their mother tongues, offering Sh1,000 for accurate answers. Attempts in Kikuyu and other languages produced incomplete approximations, which he said illustrates how many communities use English terms without fully conceptualising them.

“We actually never conceptualized these ideas, and we assume that we understand, them” Ndemo said, adding that teaching children in vernacular improves comprehension by nearly 50 percent compared with foreign languages.

He said AI-powered personalised learning can match each student’s pace, ensuring slower learners who often become insightful professionals are not left behind.

Far from eliminating jobs, Ndemo argued AI will create millions of opportunities, particularly in rural areas and the blue economy. He said agentic AI could advise a farmer working a single acre to shift from maize to higher-value crops such as mushrooms or poultry, using predictive models to project earnings that can sustain families and fund education.

He pointed to similar tools already supporting seaweed-based textiles, sustainable fishing and marine products along the Kenyan coast, citing award-winning innovations from coastal hubs as evidence that such opportunities are already emerging.

Ndemo revealed that Kenya is developing a sovereign AI model expected by November, which, unlike systems trained on American or Chinese perspectives, will reflect African realities, reject outdated narratives about the continent, and incorporate traditional approaches to mental health.

The audience raised concerns over potential job losses in the hospitality sector and the risk of over-reliance on AI for emotional support. Ndemo maintained that the necessary tools already exist, and what remains is asking the right questions, building local data sets, and establishing consistent governance that treats technology as a long-term national project.

by Vanessa Sariman