Even though Kenya and Uganda are well-known providers of BPO professionals worldwide, individuals from these countries who enter the AI field frequently end up with low-skilled and poorly paid positions despite their high level of training and expertise. This situation can be demotivating for those looking to grow within this sector.
ChatGPT — one of the world’s most renowned AI chatbots — was largely trained by Kenyan workers, and recent studies indicate this might have led to “deskilling” among young people because their skills did not align with job requirements.
UN Trade and Development (Unctad) Technology and Innovation Report 2025 highlights the stark reality of AI workers in countries such as Kenya, Uganda and India, which are global leaders in BPO work.
According to a recent study on microtask platforms and business process outsourcing firms, “Highly educated individuals in Kenya and India, holding advanced degrees in fields like science, technology, engineering, or math, frequently find themselves working on simpler assignments such as data tagging and basic content review.” The UNCTAD cautions in their biannual technological report that this misuse of skilled labor could worsen as more interconnected job sectors lead to international distribution of these roles.
In lower-income nations, data entry personnel commonly face challenging circumstances: they might work up to ten-hour days earning under two dollars an hour, engage in monotonous activities without much opportunity for professional growth—this has been observed particularly in Kenya and Uganda. Essentially, these positions undermine Kenya’s abundant technical expertise and diminish its edge within the rapidly expanding worldwide tech sector, thereby intensifying both the digital divide and economic disparity.
IMF warns: AI might exacerbate income disparity Even with extensive training and expertise in STEM fields, Kenyans face challenges in securing substantial job opportunities both domestically and abroad, leading many to accept lower-skilled AI positions provided by business process outsourcing firms.
Throughout the years, Kenya has cultivated an increasing amount of technological expertise and is currently recognized as one of the nations experiencing the most rapid expansion in developer numbers across both Africa and worldwide.
In the period from 2022 to 2023, Kenya saw the second highest increase in the number of developers registered on the coding platform GitHub, with a growth rate of 41%, just behind Nigeria which led with 45%.
Last year, Kenya posted the fastest growth in Github developers at 33 percent, pushing the total number of programmers in the country to over 393,000, the fifth highest in Africa after Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, and Morocco.
Additionally explore: Careers resilient to AI advancements, and ones at risk. The nation stands as one of the foremost technology startup leaders on the continent, underscoring its dominance in technological expertise and creativity; however, this scenario has evolved recently, with numerous startups struggling for funding from investors, which has led many to reduce their activities or shut down entirely.
According to data from the African Venture Capital Association, total funding raised by Kenyan startups decreased by 33% last year, dropping to $318 million from $473 million in 2023.
Consequently, at least five startups shut down due to their inability to secure additional financing, resulting in many skilled Kenyans losing their jobs during a period of economic strain and declining incomes.
This followed closely after comparable reductions and closures in 2023, leaving numerous individuals jobless across the nation. In order to safeguard tech sector employees, Unctad suggests essential policy adjustments requiring immediate attention from governmental bodies. “Converting technological advancements into widespread benefit necessitates labor-supportive strategies at three phases: educational and skill investment prior to production; workforce protection and employee empowerment during production; and progressive taxation following production,” stated the UN organization in their report. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.
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