Kenya Leads East Africa in AI Adoption as Global Report Highlights Widening Gap Between Developed and Developing Nations

Kenya has emerged as the leader in artificial intelligence (AI) use in East Africa, according to a new report by Microsoft. The study shows a growing divide between developed and developing nations in AI adoption. While countries in the Global North are doubling their AI uptake, many emerging economies lag behind.

The report by Microsoft’s AI Economy Institute tracked the global use of generative AI tools. It found that by the end of 2025, one in six people worldwide were using such tools. Overall, global AI diffusion rose by 1.2% in the second half of 2025. Despite progress in some regions, much of Africa remains below the global average of 16.3%.

In East Africa, Kenya recorded 8.1% AI use in the second half of 2025, up from 7.8% earlier in the year. This put Kenya ahead of its regional peers, including Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and South Sudan, all recording 6.3–6.8%. The Democratic Republic of Congo also recorded 7.8%, while Somalia and Burundi were slightly lower.

Globally, the UAE leads with 64% AI adoption, followed by Singapore at 60.9% and Norway at 46.4%. The report attributes this success to consistent investment in digital infrastructure, clear governance frameworks, and pragmatic regulatory approaches.

Microsoft notes that open-source AI tools are increasingly popular in developing countries. In East Africa, the Chinese chatbot DeepSeek has gained significant traction. Its free-to-use model removes barriers for users in price-sensitive regions. “This combination of openness and affordability allowed DeepSeek to gain traction in markets underserved by Western AI platforms,” the report says.

The AI Economy Institute highlights that early and consistent investment remains key to AI leadership. Countries that focus on infrastructure, policy support, and access are seeing faster adoption, while others risk being left behind. Kenya’s performance shows promise, but the report emphasizes that much work is needed to close the global AI gap.