NAIROBI, Kenya- Kenya has been ranked highest among the four East African Community countries assessed in a new Commonwealth index measuring how prepared young people are to benefit from artificial intelligence.
The Ayre Index placed Kenya 22nd among 56 Commonwealth countries, with a score of 48.7 out of 100. Uganda ranked 23rd with 47.0 points, Tanzania was 25th on 45.5 and Rwanda placed 47th with 38.1.
The ranking puts Kenya ahead of its regional peers included in the study, but 4.3 points below the report’s youth AI readiness benchmark of 53.
Only 15 of the 56 Commonwealth countries reached or exceeded that benchmark, led by Singapore, Malta and Australia.
Kenya’s AI opportunity
The study estimates that AI could make Kenya’s economy US$1.971 billion larger after 10 years under its moderate scenario.
Under a conservative scenario, the potential GDP-level increase is placed at US$952 million, while the optimistic scenario projects a US$2.991 billion increase.
Researchers cautioned that the figures are economic illustrations based on International Monetary Fund scenarios, not forecasts of annual growth, jobs created or income that young people will receive.
Kenya’s moderate-case estimate is the third largest among the 41 countries that fell below the readiness benchmark, behind Bangladesh and Pakistan.
The findings underline the potential economic gains available if Kenya can convert improved digital access and AI training into enterprise growth, employment opportunities and higher productivity.
Regional lead, but gaps remain
The index examined conditions facing people aged between 15 and 29, including access to technology, digital skills, education, employment pathways, AI use and safeguards around automated decisions.
Kenya scored data across 66 of the 102 indicators used in the published rankings.
The study found that 55.5 per cent of Kenyan 15-year-olds reported assessing AI-generated material during lessons, pointing to growing exposure to the technology in schools.
Kenya’s 4G network covers 97.3 per cent of the population, according to figures cited in the report. However, electricity access stands at 77 per cent, while businesses continue to report internet disruptions.
The index also cited Kenya’s operational data-protection authority and legal safeguards covering some automated decisions as strengths in the country’s AI readiness environment.
Still, the report found that access and infrastructure must be matched with practical learning, locally relevant tools and clearer pathways from training to employment or enterprise.
Skills programmes gain ground
Kenya has expanded AI-skills programmes targeting young people, entrepreneurs, students and teachers.
In 2025, entrepreneurship platform MESH and Microsoft reported that more than 55,000 young micro-entrepreneurs completed AI-skills learning designed to help them grow their businesses.
UNESCO’s Global Skills Academy programme had also reached more than 5,300 beneficiaries in Kenya by the end of May 2026, with students accounting for more than 93 per cent of participants.
The initiative is supporting 23 technical and vocational education institutions, where more than 200 educators have been trained to guide learners through digital and AI learning pathways.
The study said such programmes will be critical in helping Kenya move beyond AI consumption and build the skills needed to apply the technology in businesses, public services and local problem-solving.
Five priorities for policymakers
The Ayre Think Tank said countries should focus on five areas to help young people benefit from AI.
These are affordable and reliable access to technology, practical education and skills, stronger routes from training into employment and entrepreneurship, AI tools that reflect local languages and needs, and safeguards that allow young people to question automated decisions.
The report reviewed 1,128 sources and assessed conditions affecting about 732 million young people across all 56 Commonwealth countries.
While Kenya’s regional ranking signals a stronger foundation than its assessed East African peers, the report says the next challenge is ensuring that digital access and AI learning lead to tangible economic opportunities for young people.
