Kenya has officialy claimed the top spot globally for ChatGPT usage, a statistic that serves as both a testament to the nation’s high level of Digital Literacy, and at the same time, a sign to the Educators and Professionals about what their future prosperity will be.
According to the most recent Global Digital Report 2025 published by DataReportal, 42.1% of Internet Users in Kenya, aged 16 to 64, have used the AI chatbot in the last month.
With that number, Kenya comes in first place across the World, just ahead of the United Arab Emirates with 42% and Israel with 41.4% and raises an important question, according to experts: At What Cost?
The Double-Edged Sword of “Silicon Savannah”
What is the biggest concern with AI?
Youth make up a significant part of ChatGPT’s user base, with a median age of 20. When ChatGPT was first launched, it was seen as proof that a generation of people was now “digital natives.” However, on closer inspection, it shows an increasing trend of overreliance on technology in three important areas:
- Academic Integrity: Many university professors are seeing an increase in students submitting AI-generated assignments, raising concerns about the potential escape route students have from going through the natural challenges of mastering and remembering difficult material.
- Gig Economy: Freelancers have been utilising it to increase productivity. However, there is growing concern that the same freelancers are providing the AI models that will eventually replace them.
- The Decline of Individuality in the Small Business Community: By using AI-generated communications in all of their communications with clients and customers, many businesses will lose the personal, human touch that differentiates them from their global competitors.
Global ChatGPT Usage Statistics
Which country is using ChatGPT the most?
The data indicate that the introduction of Artificial Intelligence is happening faster than the ability of the Government to regulate it.
The United States has the highest level of total traffic, but its low use on a per capita basis indicates a slower implementation compared with Kenya, where it is being aggressively adopted.
The cognitive cost of AI: What is efficient and what is laziness?
With such a high level of adoption has come the national debate: Is this a case of cognitive decline or efficiency?
Critics of ChatGPT argue that it represents an opportunity to use “cognitive offloading.” Where once one might have used the new tool to help improve their thought processes, many users now use ChatGPT as a substitute for doing any actual reasoning.
As a professor at the University of Nairobi warns, “We are seeing the emergence of a trend that defines ‘problem-solving’ as ‘prompt engineering.’
If, at the time of graduation, a student has never submitted an original essay or textbook coding and has relied solely on ChatGPT, how much have they actually learned? We are at risk of creating a workforce that appears to be productive but is lacking the essential, foundational skills.”
Innovation Without Guardrails
It is alarming to see a rapid rise in the use of ChatGPT without any regulations governing the technology’s use in Kenya. In comparison to regions like Europe or the Chinese region who have been quick to implement their respective AI policies.
The Ministry of ICT and the Education Sector in Kenya are struggling to formulate appropriate regulations around Academic Integrity and Data Protection concerning the use of ChatGPT as the technology is already widely used in Kenya.
To summarize, while the high level of ChatGPT adoption in Kenya is impressive, it is also a very troubling statistic that points to the fact that the country’s education system and workforce are currently operating in an unregulated manner.
Creating a significant level of risk by not balancing the speed at which Technology is being adopted with retaining Critical Thinking Skills of Workers and Students alike.
If immediate actions are not taken to address this situation, “The Silicon Savannah” could turn into a location dependent on Technology with little to no Innovation occurring there as a result.
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