Patriarchy and connectivity: Kenya's roadblock to women in AI
Expert says AI is not about being a woman in tech but a requirement for every sector.
What you need to know:
- Konza Technopolis’ Josephine Ndambuki calls for urgent inclusion of women in AI adoption, warning that careers and innovation depend on it.
- While AI reshapes work and business in Kenya, women risk exclusion due to lower internet use, digital illiteracy, and enduring social barriers.
As of 2024, more men than women in Kenya accessed the internet, the primary gateway to artificial intelligence (AI) tools, in both rural and urban areas.
Nationally, 68.7 per cent of men used the internet almost daily compared to 63.5 per cent of women, according to joint data from the Communications Authority of Kenya and the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
The gap widens depending on location. In towns, 77 per cent of men are online compared with 69.8 per cent of women, while in rural areas the numbers fall to 58 per cent for men and 53.1 per cent for women. These figures are not just statistics; they underscore a gender digital divide that determines who benefits most from emerging technologies such as AI.
Josephine Ndambuki, Chief Manager of Business Development and Innovation at Konza Technopolis, says this divide has deep roots in Kenya’s social and cultural history. “AI is the next frontier of technology, and traditionally, especially in the African context, we have seen gender disparity in technology,” she explains.
“This did not even start with technology. It began in patriarchal societies, where girls were often denied opportunities when competing with boys. Many were expected to marry early, and as a result, fewer pursued technological careers.”
She recalls how the tech sector itself was once hostile to women, with its early focus on heavy cable pulling and manual configurations having made the environment unwelcoming. “This was masculine in nature,” she insists. “But as technology matured into algorithms and software rather than hard wiring, the environment became more accommodating.”
Still, Josephine notes that the gap persists in digital literacy, especially in rural areas where social roles limit women’s participation. “When digital training programmes are offered, men often show up in larger numbers, while women remain behind caring for children or siblings, or handling household duties. Those perceptions still matter,” she asserts.
With AI now layered onto these existing inequalities, the risks of exclusion have multiplied. “If women are not included, the solutions, algorithms and platforms we develop become biased because AI models learn from the people using them. Excluding half the world means innovations that don’t reflect women’s realities,” Josephine cautions.
She also warns that the world of work is rapidly shifting. “Careers are increasingly being shaped by AI. If women do not embrace these tools, they risk becoming less productive and less competitive,” she emphasises.
“Imagine a colleague who uses AI to summarise a meeting into clear action points, while another spends hours reading through pages of notes. The gap in efficiency becomes stark.”
Beyond the workplace, women risk being sidelined in fields where they have traditionally thrived, she says. “If women in the creative industries and social sciences fail to adopt AI, innovations and data models will lag, stalling progress in sectors that rely heavily on their expertise.”
For women entrepreneurs, Josephine says the stakes are even higher. Failing to integrate AI into their businesses could leave them vulnerable to being overtaken by technology. “Even brilliant entrepreneurs can see their ventures collapse if they fail to adapt. That is why it is imperative for them to constantly ask: what is the place of AI in my business?” she advises.
To bridge the divide, Josephine stresses that AI literacy should not be confined to IT professionals. “AI is not about being a woman in tech. It is a requirement for every sector,” she says. “A social entrepreneur, digital marketer or business leader must understand what AI means for their work. Only then can we create role models and empower teams to grow.”
Josephine sees the way forward in breaking barriers to women’s access to AI through intentional sensitisation, inclusion, and proactive engagement. “We must make sure women are not left behind. AI is shaping the future of work, innovation, and society. To build a balanced world, both men and women must participate equally in this transformation,” she reaffirms.
