Artificial Intelligence, Skills, and the future of Decent Work in Kenya

World Youth Skills Day, declared by the United Nations General Assembly, serves as an important global reminder that skills development is not optional it is urgent and essential. This year’s theme, “Youth Empowerment through AI and Digital Skills,” resonates deeply as artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the world of work at an unprecedented pace. In Kenya, the potential is enormous, but so is the responsibility. The outcome of this transformation will depend less on the technology itself and more on the choices we make the investments, partnerships, and policy frameworks we commit to now.

Kenya stands out as a leader in digital innovation, with one of the highest rates of mobile internet penetration in Africa and a vibrant tech ecosystem. The country’s track record in leapfrogging traditional development hurdles particularly through innovations like mobile money offers a solid foundation for scaling AI-enabled learning and digital skills training. Kenya has the infrastructure, the entrepreneurial spirit, and a growing digital economy. But it must also ensure that these advantages translate into real, inclusive access for all youth, regardless of geography, gender, or income.

Extending this reach means going beyond urban tech hubs and investing in the rural and underserved counties. It means expanding connectivity, delivering digital literacy through local-language content, and integrating practical skills into formal and non-formal education. Whether in Nairobi or Turkana, Mombasa or Kisumu, young people deserve the opportunity to build futures in an AI-driven economy.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is working closely with national institutions to support this transformation. Through the ITCILO Innovation Fund, the ILO is piloting the TVET-AI initiative in Kenya, which equips technical instructors with AI tools to modernize teaching materials and align them with industry needs. At the global level, the ILO and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) are co-leading the Digital Skills Campaign under the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth, with the goal of equipping five million young people with digital skills. Kenya is a priority in this initiative. The ILO Observatory on Artificial Intelligence and Work in the Digital Economy, as the pre-eminent international knowledge hub on the world-of-work dimensions of AI, supports and informs this work by providing research, analysis and guidance for governments and social partners to understand and engage with the digital transformation of work, ensuring that innovation leads to decent work and inclusive employment.

Kenya’s demographic profile is a strategic asset. Two-thirds of the population is under 35 a generation full of energy and ideas but also facing high unemployment and underemployment. Many young graduates are taking jobs well below their qualifications. Rather than eliminating jobs, ILO research suggests that generative AI will transform them. Repetitive tasks may decline, but new types of roles will emerge, requiring digital fluency, analytical thinking, and ethical awareness. The challenge is clear: young Kenyans must be equipped not just to survive, but to lead in this new world of work.

To do so, skills development needs to be reoriented toward emerging labour market demands. Technical and vocational institutions should teach not only the skills of today but also anticipate those of tomorrow. At the same time, the rights of workers must remain central. Digital platforms may streamline hiring and performance management, but they must not override workers’ rights to organize, to fair treatment, and to due process. Social protection systems must also adapt. Freelancers, gig workers, and platform-based service providers whether driving, delivering, or coding should have access to maternity leave, pensions, and health insurance that are portable across jobs and careers.

Social dialogue must evolve as well. Governments, employers, and workers’ representatives should come together to shape national policies on algorithmic management, AI ethics, and fair wages in the digital economy. Kenya’s strategy for AI cannot be driven by technology alone; it must be rooted in social justice.

This transformation calls for coordinated national action. Kenya can lead by increasing investment in competency-based technical and vocational education, with public financing aligned to programmes that reflect real labour market needs. The country also has an opportunity to strengthen its digital public infrastructure, including more affordable internet access and platforms that support digital entrepreneurship. Labour laws must reflect the realities of digital work, recognising gig workers as part of the workforce and requiring platform companies to contribute to social protection schemes. For rural areas to participate meaningfully in the digital economy, investment in connectivity and affordability of devices remains critical. And as Kenya advances its digital ambitions, it must also ensure that this transformation supports green development, by aligning innovation with environmental sustainability  such as using AI in climate forecasting or supporting local e-waste recycling.

Employers, too, must step up shifting from informal internships to structured apprenticeships and providing forecasts that help align training with future demand. Trade unions have a vital role in securing lifelong learning entitlements and co-developing ethical standards for digital management. And youth voices must be heard and integrated in national AI task forces, skills councils, and policy dialogues.

To keep this agenda on track, it is essential to set measurable goals. Kenya could aim to certify tens of thousands of young people in intermediate and advanced digital competencies over the next 12 months. It could expand social protection coverage for digital workers and establish a tripartite code of ethics for AI aligned with national values. Tangible, time-bound goals are the cornerstone of accountability and a powerful way to build trust.

AI is not inherently inclusive or exclusive it depends on how it is governed and who it is built for. With the right investments in skills, rights, protections, and dialogue, Kenya can shape AI into a driver of inclusive growth and social justice. The ILO’s Decent Work Agenda provides a roadmap: one that places people, and not just technology, at the centre of change.

World Youth Skills Day is more than a day of recognition it is a moment of decision. The future of work is being written now. Kenya has the tools, the talent, and the opportunity to lead. The time to act is now.