Shadrack Oguta (left) and Elvis Warutumo.
In 2022, a casual scroll through Twitter changed the life of 28-year-old Elvis Warutumo.
He stumbled on a video of a student using artificial intelligence to complete homework and wondered: If AI can write essays, can it help me with client work?
Out of curiosity, he typed a prompt into ChatGPT asking it to generate a marketing campaign script. The results were so compelling that he immediately knew his workflow would never be the same.
This picture taken on January 23, 2023 in Toulouse, southwestern France, shows screens displaying the logos of OpenAI and ChatGPT. ChatGPT is a conversational artificial intelligence software application developed by OpenAI.
“Wow, I realised this is what I had been looking for. I even fired my copywriter,” he recalled.
That decision marked the beginning of a new chapter for Warutumo — one that places him, and others like him, at the heart of Kenya’s AI-driven creative revolution.
A new wave
Together with 23-year-old Shadrack Oguta, he is among a new wave of Gen Z entrepreneurs using AI tools to compete directly with established marketing agencies.
Their story highlights how agility, creativity, and technology are levelling the playing field in Kenya’s fast-changing digital economy.
Before discovering AI, Warutumo often found himself bogged down by delays that frustrated both him and his clients.
“I would tell a client a website project would be ready in 10 days, but I’d spend three of those waiting for the copywriter to deliver,” he said.
The lag led to unhappy customers and lost business opportunities.
Satisfied clients
Today, ChatGPT produces drafts in minutes, freeing him to edit quickly, finalise work, and move on.
The efficiency translates into faster project delivery and satisfied clients — a crucial edge for young freelancers competing against resource-rich agencies.
“AI has given us the power to compete on the same stage as big agencies,” said Oguta, who brings a background in journalism and digital marketing to his work. “The difference is that we bring agility and creativity, not just budgets.”
While Warutumo discovered AI by chance, Oguta’s journey was more intentional. He began by experimenting with ChatGPT for simple captions but soon realised its broader strategic potential.
“AI doesn’t replace human creativity — it amplifies it,” he explained.
He now uses AI not only for writing but also for audience simulations and campaign strategy.
A key part of his toolkit is the AI Prompt Repository Manager (AIPRM), a library of professional prompts covering SEO, marketing campaigns, captions, and sales copy.
Lengthy instructions
Rather than drafting lengthy instructions, he selects pre-designed prompts that guide AI to produce specialised, high-quality output.
For Gen Z creators, adopting new technology is second nature.
Having grown up navigating social media, mobile apps, and digital platforms, they see AI not as an intimidating tool but as an extension of the digital fluency they already possess.
“For us, technology isn’t just a tool, it’s a language we understand. We don’t separate being creative from being digital — they are one and the same,” Oguta said.
One of AI’s greatest advantages lies in simplifying complex concepts. This is especially valuable in sectors such as finance, where technical jargon can alienate audiences.
Plain language
Warutumo recalls working with Arvocap Asset Managers, which offered products described in terms such as “fixed income funds” and “money market instruments.”
“I’m not in the finance space,” he admitted. Instead of hiring a consultant or spending days researching, he copied the product descriptions into ChatGPT and asked it to explain in plain language.
“AI broke down the terms and explained them to me,” he said.
This allowed him to craft campaigns that were accessible yet accurate, giving clients confidence while reaching audiences unfamiliar with financial language.
Clients, he added, expect precision. “They are paying you hundreds of thousands of shillings. They expect you to get it right.”
Beyond simplifying complexity, AI enables creators to tailor campaigns across platforms.
Oguta recounted a campaign he designed for Shop Zetu’s Party Fits Collection. Using AIPRM prompts, he landed on the playful name Look Zetu, blending Gen Z slang with brand identity.
What might have taken weeks of brainstorming was completed in seconds.
From there, he developed platform-specific content: short, meme-friendly captions for TikTok, aspirational copy for Instagram, and longer narratives for email marketing.
“The campaign didn’t just look polished — audiences felt we were speaking their language, not pushing a corporate agenda,” Oguta said.
For Kenya's young teachers, artificial intelligence isn't just another educational buzzword.
Despite AI’s promise, scepticism persists. Some brands worry about robotic content and the loss of authentic voice. Oguta tackles this head-on by showing prototypes: “When I pitch AI-driven campaigns, I present copy variations, mock-ups, and simulations. Once brands see how AI frees us to focus on strategy and emotion, they embrace it.”
Warutumo takes a different approach, keeping AI behind the curtain. “I don’t pitch AI to clients,” he said. “Most care about the final product, not how you got there.”
Both agree that human creativity remains central.
‘Original spark’
“The original spark that makes content resonate must come from the human creator,” Warutumo explained. “ChatGPT supplements but doesn’t replace human ability.”
To ensure authenticity, both creators localise AI outputs with cultural references, slang, and lived experiences.
“I use Sheng phrases Gen Z can relate to or weave in everyday Kenyan experiences like matatu culture,” Oguta said.
“That keeps the content real.”
As awareness of AI-generated content grows, authenticity is key.
“AI can write, but only humans can make it mean something,” Oguta observed.
For Warutumo and Oguta, AI is about more than efficiency.
It offers a way to deliver quality work without the overhead of large teams or expensive budgets.
Big agencies
This democratisation of marketing has enabled small creators to compete with big agencies while charging lower fees and working faster.
Traditional firms are taking notice. Some view these AI-powered upstarts as a direct threat to long-standing business models.
“The future belongs to those who stay creative,” Warutumo said. “AI is here to stay, but if you don’t bring ideas, voice, and originality, you’ll be left behind.”
Oguta sees AI evolving into a tool for influencer analysis, content personalisation, and co-creation with virtual personalities.
He believes it will help brands identify influencers by engagement quality rather than follower count, creating campaigns that feel authentic and deeply connected.
“The digital age isn’t about replacing creativity,” he said. “Campaigns will be more dynamic and scalable, but the winners will be those who balance AI efficiency with genuine human storytelling.”
You may also read other AI In Our Lives story series below.
