What Kenya's National AI strategy means for the tech and mobile industry

Kenya’s AI Strategy (2025- 2050) is ambitious, aiming to make the country a continental hub. From an industry perspective. This strategy signals a major inflection point. For a while, we have treated AI as a peripheral concept, something in labs or back-end systems. This strategy brings AI into focus as a national priority, and for the mobile industry, that’s deeply relevant. Smartphones and wearables are where most people will first experience AI; whether through personalized interfaces, voice recognition, or health tracking. The strategy positions mobile devices not just as communication tools, but as foundational AI infrastructure for access, education, and innovation. The Samsung Galaxy S24 series, launched in January 2024, introduced several unique and standout features especially in the realm of AI, which became a core selling point. In 2025, Samsung pushed the boundaries of AI even further with the launch of the Galaxy S25 series.

In terms of expanding AI infrastructure, we need to think of infrastructure beyond data centers and cloud, by including devices that process AI at the edge. Industry players can support by ensuring that AI-capable hardware reaches broader segments of the population. More critically, collaboration is key: telcos, OEMs, app developers, and platform providers should align to reduce friction from connectivity to affordability. Localizing digital ecosystems around AI tools is just as important as the global tech that powers them.

With Galaxy AI, our vision is to democratize the benefits of mobile AI innovation so that our users can enjoy barrier-free communication, maximize their productivity, unleash creativity and better track their health in their daily lives.

In addition to bringing Galaxy AI to more devices, we are committed to breaking down language barriers around the world. That’s why we have expanded language support to seven more languages in the past year, supporting 20 languages to date with more to come.

Although the AI strategy puts strong emphasis on ethical AI, data privacy, and inclusion, Samsung supports the responsible development of AI and will actively participate in ongoing global conversations about regulatory needs as this technology evolves. As a leader in mobile AI, we are committed to collaborating closely with other industry and regulatory organizations to ensure AI technology progresses in ways that deliver a meaningful and positive impact for our users and society at large.When developing Galaxy S25 series, we prioritized user privacy and personal data protection to ensure that users can embrace the latest AI technologies with confidence.

Local talent development is another strategic goal that the sector can leverage and go beyond hiring and contributing to real ecosystem growth. We can’t build a sustainable AI future without investing in the pipeline and that means engaging early and consistently. Extending further than hiring, tech companies should support upskilling initiatives, mentorship, and funding for local innovation. Platforms for AI developers especially those building for mobile, need visibility and distribution. Public-private partnerships will be key here. We’re not just building tools for Kenya; we should be building them with Kenyans.

Finally, wellness is one of the areas that is seeing traction in terms of where lies opportunities for AI to make a difference, particularly through mobile and consumer technology in the Kenyan context. AI-enabled wearables are helping individuals monitor stress, sleep, and activity and over time, this could feed into national wellness trends or preventive healthcare models. Another big opportunity is education: from real-time translation and speech-to-text to adaptive learning, mobile AI can bridge learning gaps. And in a market like Kenya, where smartphones are primary internet devices, the opportunity is immense. We have the reach, now it’s about relevance, trust, and alignment with local priorities.

Anthony Hutia is Samsung Electronics East Africa head of mobile experience.