{
  "id": 3211008,
  "title": "From AI pilots to profits: Kenya’s businesses face test of measurable returns",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/from-ai-pilots-to-profits-kenyas-businesses-face-test-of-measurable",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-08-25T07:01:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Capital FM Kenya",
    "slug": "capital-fm-kenya",
    "url": "https://capitalfm.africa/from-ai-pilots-to-profits-kenyas-businesses-face-test-of-measurable-returns/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nairobi, Kenya, Aug 25 — Artificial intelligence is increasingly being integrated into Kenyan businesses, but the next stage of adoption will hinge on whether companies can derive measurable returns from the technology. The focus is shifting from merely whether Kenyan businesses are using AI to determining how it is transforming their operations. Recent research indicates that Kenyan businesses are rapidly adopting AI, employing it in various functions such as customer service, software development, marketing, credit scoring, and fraud detection. However, the transition from deploying AI to scaling it within an organization remains challenging.\n\nA 2025 survey of Kenyan business professionals found that 96% of organizations had started their AI journey, with 35.2% achieving widespread or advanced implementation. However, a significant barrier is the lack of technical expertise, cited by 48.8% of respondents. Customer service, software development, and marketing optimization were identified as the leading areas of AI investment, accounting for 54.8%, 51.2%, and 36.2% of respondents, respectively.\n\nFor smaller businesses, AI reduces the cost of accessing capabilities that previously required specialized teams or substantial investment in technology. Abraham Mbuthia, CEO and co-founder of UzaPoint, a digital business solutions provider, highlights how AI is shortening the time required for tasks that used to take months or years to accomplish. Small businesses can now achieve tasks in a matter of days, narrowing the gap between smaller and larger firms.\n\nHowever, the accessibility of AI does not guarantee a return on investment. The commercial test is whether AI improves the economics of an operation, making processes faster, cheaper, more accurate, or capable of generating additional revenue. In the financial sector, AI is moving beyond experimentation into core business functions, such as credit-risk assessment, cybersecurity, customer service, and fraud-risk management. While AI offers significant potential for faster credit decisions, improved fraud detection, and personalized customer engagement, it also presents challenges in terms of accuracy, explainability, and compliance.\n\nThe banking sector demonstrates that AI can have a substantial impact on a business's bottom line, but only if it is integrated deeply into core operations. For manufacturing, the story is different. Tobias Alando, CEO of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, notes that Kenyan companies are investing in software technology that supports manufacturing operations, but the cost of hardware and AI technology remains prohibitive for many. The capital-intensive nature of AI-enabled industrial automation makes it challenging for developing countries like Kenya to adopt fully.\n\nThe lesson for Kenyan businesses is clear: AI becomes more valuable as it becomes deeply integrated into core operations, but the risks also increase when technology influences high-stakes decisions. The path to measurable returns from AI adoption will require careful consideration of both the opportunities and the challenges.",
  "summary": "A 2025 survey of Kenyan business professionals found that 96 per cent of organisations had begun their AI journey.",
  "key_points": [
    "96% of Kenyan businesses have started AI adoption, with 35.2% achieving widespread implementation.",
    "Customer service, software development, and marketing optimization are top AI investment areas."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Kenyan businesses face a critical test of deriving measurable returns from AI integration, shifting focus from adoption to tangible benefits, and navigating challenges of expertise, cost, and operational integration.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Capital Business",
        "title": "From AI pilots to profits: Kenya’s businesses face test of measurable returns",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/from-ai-pilots-to-profits-kenyas-businesses-face-test-of-measurable-3211018",
        "published": "2026-08-25T07:01:26.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}