Kenya, Anthropic Sign Deal to Expand Responsible AI Use in Public Sector

Kenya has signed a new cooperation agreement with artificial intelligence company Anthropic as the government steps up efforts to expand the use of AI while maintaining control over public data and digital systems.

The Joint Declaration on Responsible Artificial Intelligence was signed on Tuesday, September 22, on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Kenya was represented at the signing by Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Dr Abraham Korir Sing’Oei, while Anthropic was represented by Elizabeth Kelly, the company’s Head of Beneficial Deployments.

The signing was witnessed by Kenya’s Special Envoy on Technology, Ambassador Philip Thigo, and Anthropic’s Global Impact Lead, Ambassador Courtney O’Donnell.

The agreement provides a framework for cooperation in areas including AI research, public-sector capacity building, AI safety and evaluation, governance and the use of AI in key sectors.

Healthcare, education and food systems have been identified as some of the areas where the two sides could work together.

Kenya to retain control over public data

One of the key issues under the agreement is the government’s control over public data and digital infrastructure.

The government said any future programme involving the use or processing of public data will have to comply with Kenyan laws, including the Data Protection Act 2019 and the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act.

The agreement does not transfer Kenya’s ownership or control of national data repositories to Anthropic.

The government also said public institutions will continue to be responsible for protecting personal and sensitive information held by the state.

The partnership is expected to support the use of AI in improving public services, strengthening institutions, developing skills and increasing productivity.

Focus on Kenyan and African needs

The agreement also places emphasis on building local capacity in AI.

Kenyan researchers and computer scientists are expected to have opportunities to participate in areas such as AI safety evaluation, testing and model governance.

The government also wants AI systems used in Kenya to take into account the country’s languages, institutions and social and economic needs.

This includes Swahili and other local languages.

Speaking after the signing, Ambassador Philip Thigo said Kenya wanted to ensure that advances in AI have a direct benefit to citizens

“Kenya seeks to ensure that advances in artificial intelligence translate into better public services, stronger institutions, new skills, greater productivity, and economic opportunity,” Thigo said.

He added that the country also wanted to strengthen safeguards around AI safety, security and its wider impact on society.

Thigo said the agreement was part of Kenya’s wider approach to what the government describes as “shared sovereignty”.

“This reflects Kenya’s broader approach to shared sovereignty: benefiting from global technology while retaining authority over the governance of its data, infrastructure, and public systems,” he said.

Talks started earlier this year

The agreement follows a series of engagements between Kenya and Anthropic that began earlier in 2026.

In June, Thigo held discussions with Kelly and Anthropic’s technical team on possible AI applications for Kenya.

The talks looked at areas including language diversity, pandemic preparedness, food systems and education.

In July, Thigo led a Kenyan delegation to Silicon Valley for discussions with Anthropic’s leadership, including Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei and Kelly.

The discussions focused on how Kenya could work with the company through research, AI safety and technology development based on local needs.

Further discussions were held in Nairobi on September 3, when Principal Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy John Tanui met an Anthropic team led by O’Donnell.

The meeting focused on building AI skills within the civil service, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, strengthening cybersecurity and identifying possible pilot projects.

Tanui said Kenya had already invested in digital skills and developed policies to guide the use of AI, including the Kenya AI Strategy 2025–2030 and the AI and Emerging Technologies Policy.

The latest agreement now provides a broader framework through which the government and Anthropic can develop specific programmes in the areas identified by both sides.

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