Kenya ranks as the world's most active nation for artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, with 97.5% of online adults using the technology monthly.
The digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update Report, published by DataReportal in partnership with We Are Social and Manochi, found that 97.5% of surveyed internet users in Kenya had used at least one AI tool in the past month.
This is the highest adoption rate recorded among the 54 countries tracked.
The high adoption rate aligns with the country's push to formalise the sector, following the recent public consultation closure for the draft Kenya Artificial Intelligence and Other Emerging Technologies Policy 2026.
Based on GWI's Core survey, which polled more than 240 000 people aged 16 and above across the world's largest economies into 2026. These markets account for more than 80% of the global internet population.
Kenya ranked ahead of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which placed second at 94.2%, and Indonesia at 93.6%.
The result stands in contrast to major Western economies. Just 71.5% of online adults in the US said they had used AI in the past month, nearly 10 percentage points below the global average.
In the UK, the figure was 62.8%. Japan was the only surveyed market where fewer than half of respondents reported using AI.
Kenya's lead comes amid a broader global increase in AI adoption. The report estimates that 4.02 billion adults worldwide, or 48.6% of the global population, now use some form of AI at least once a month.
This includes tools built into software such as Microsoft Office, Google Workspace and Canva, alongside standalone platforms like ChatGPT.
Active use of generative AI platforms has more than doubled over the past year, growing 141% to reach 2.42 billion users globally.
The report's authors note that users in lower- and middle-income countries tend to use AI more frequently than the global average, indicating adoption in unsampled markets could be higher.
The draft AI policy follows months of work by a technical working group drawn from academia, government, start-ups and civil society.
It was supported by partners including the Kenya ICT Action Network, the British High Commission, the European Union , Germany and Canada.
The draft policy builds on the National AI Strategy 2025-2030 and sets out a four-tier governance structure anchored by a National AI and Other Emerging Technologies Steering Committee and a new regulatory council.
It proposes a Kenya AI Safety Institute for testing and risk classification, a public registry, and a National African Languages and Voice Programme aimed at building AI systems that work in local languages.
The policy is expected to move toward Cabinet consideration alongside a separate AI Bill currently before Parliament.
The report cautions that adoption figures measure usage rather than depth of engagement. It found that finding information remains the top reason people turn to AI tools worldwide, ahead of seeking advice or improving skills.
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