Kenyan firms adopting in-house tech solutions to spur new AI jobs

Kenyan companies are increasingly turning to in-house technology solutions, particularly those leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI), to remain competitive and create skilled job opportunities. According to a Deloitte analysis of 1,300 firms entering the 2026 CIO100 Awards, many African businesses are shifting from external sourcing to building internal teams to develop enterprise solutions.

Arnold Ng'ang'a, Senior Manager for Consulting Services at Deloitte, explained that organizations are investing in their teams to create AI-driven applications that cater to their specific needs, reduce costs, and minimize complexity. The trend is driven by AI being the top technology investment priority among participating organizations and has been backed as crucial in creating demand for high-skilled workforce in various areas.

A substantial 84.8% of submissions identified AI as a priority for investment in the next 12 to 24 months. However, the research also highlights the need for improved incident response capabilities to address AI-driven cyber threats, as only 38.6% of these organizations currently possess the necessary capabilities. Additionally, while AI adoption has increased from 54.8% in the previous year's submissions, many firms are still working on implementing AI effectively.