NAIROBI, Kenya – African businesses risk losing their competitive advantage to rivals that integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into their operations, industry leaders have warned, urging employers to rethink outdated workflows and invest in skills rather than simply purchasing new technology.
The warning emerged on the second day of the 2026 Nation Digital Summit in Nairobi, where leaders argued that widespread access to AI tools is changing what separates competitive organisations from those struggling to adapt.
Philip Thigo, the Special Envoy on Technology to President William Ruto, said access to information was no longer the primary advantage in a world where AI platforms can provide powerful analytical and creative capabilities to businesses of different sizes.
“Intelligence is no longer the currency in which we trade, because intelligence is democratised. Anybody in this room has access to these platforms. You have the entire intelligence of the world in your hands,” Thigo said during a session on leadership in the intelligence shift.
He argued that leadership would increasingly determine whether organisations could turn these capabilities into meaningful economic outcomes.
“The only differentiator for me is leadership and how leaders enable their teams to filter through this democratised intelligence to deliver meaningful economic outcomes,” he added.
Why Buying AI Tools May Not Be Enough
Thigo challenged companies and public institutions to examine whether their internal processes had evolved alongside the digital tools they were adopting.
He said many organisations were investing in technology while retaining manual systems that slowed down decision-making and limited productivity.
“Most Kenyans spend more time online between 10pm and 3am, yet your offices are open between 9am and 5pm,” he said, questioning whether conventional workplace structures adequately reflected how people interact with digital platforms.
He also criticised organisations that continued to rely on outdated feedback and communication channels while younger consumers increasingly used online platforms to raise concerns and demand services.
For businesses, the challenge is therefore not simply acquiring AI subscriptions but redesigning workflows, preparing employees to use the tools and ensuring the technology addresses genuine operational problems.
Thigo warned that investments in AI platforms would deliver limited value without the supporting infrastructure, reliable organisational data and skilled employees needed to use them effectively.
“AI without data does not work,” he said, urging leaders to invest in the entire technology ecosystem rather than treating AI adoption as a stand-alone purchase.
AI Training Opens New Opportunities for Professionals
Grace Murugi, Chief AI Strategist at This is Digital, said AI was already changing how professionals deliver services and build careers, with some moving from conventional employment into specialised consultancy and independent operations.
Murugi said her organisation had trained more than 1,000 people across different organisations in AI strategies, policy, automation and practical applications.
She argued that professionals who combine AI capabilities with expertise in their respective fields could expand their opportunities in research, marketing, human resources and other sectors.
“I can confidently state that artificial intelligence adoption is not hype. Professionals are actively stepping out of traditional roles to run empowered operations,” she said.
To illustrate the potential, Murugi recounted the case of a researcher who, according to her, resigned from a major organisation on the third day of training after learning how to use AI for research. She said the researcher subsequently secured a first deal worth Sh4 million.
The account was presented as an example of the opportunities AI skills can create, rather than independently verified evidence of typical earnings or career outcomes.
Murugi also pointed to automation in digital marketing and human resource management, where AI can help teams process large volumes of information, including job applications.
She urged workers to incorporate AI into their existing professional specialisations instead of viewing it as an isolated technical discipline.
“I recommend that professionals think about becoming an AI-powered practitioner whether in research, marketing or human resources. It is the person using artificial intelligence within their specialised field who will overtake the person who refuses to adapt,” she said.
The Competitive Risk Is Falling Behind AI Users
Thigo said the greater danger for businesses was not the technology itself but competitors using it to complete tasks faster, improve efficiency and deliver services more effectively.
“You will not be disrupted by AI. You will be disrupted by the person using AI,” he said.
He called on organisations to embrace continuous learning, experimentation and faster decision-making, arguing that employees and leaders must be willing to abandon outdated approaches.
“The technology does not have a mind of its own; it is the person who uses the technology who will disrupt you. We need to be able to unlearn, learn fast and move fast, being comfortable with failure because failure saves money and time,” he said.
His remarks echo a wider debate about how African economies can turn growing AI adoption into measurable productivity gains while preparing workers for changes in the nature of employment. In an earlier discussion on AI and the future of work, Thigo also called for stronger links between practical technology skills, education and economic opportunities for young people.
Leadership and Skills at the Centre of AI Adoption
The speakers said organisations needed to align technology investments with staff development, data readiness and changes in how work is organised.
Thigo argued that leaders had a responsibility to ensure the benefits of AI translate into economic opportunities and improvements in people’s lives, rather than widening existing inequalities.
For companies, that means identifying where AI can solve specific problems, equipping employees to use it responsibly and ensuring that the resulting efficiencies contribute to better products and services.
