Women in AI (WAI), a global nonprofit committed to promoting inclusive artificial intelligence, has officially launched its Kenya Chapter, creating new opportunities for women and girls to lead, innovate and shape the future of AI. The chapter will focus on advancing ethical and inclusive AI, championing creative AI for Kenya’s growing creative economy and offering training and networking initiatives that equip women with the skills needed for the future of work.
The Kenya Chapter’s mission is to ensure that Kenyan innovation and women’s voices are central to global AI leadership and governance. By connecting local innovators with global AI policy, practice and mentorship, the initiative aims to cultivate a vibrant ecosystem where women play a leading role in shaping AI technologies and applications. This focus includes not only technical development but also ethical, policy and creative dimensions of AI.
The founding leadership team brings together a diverse range of expertise across technology, AI research, creative industries and policy. The team includes an Emmy-winning filmmaker and AI artist serving as Ambassador, a human-centered AI strategist leading events and coordination, a software engineer and AI/ML strategist heading mentorship and community, a senior data scientist overseeing programs and education, a digital adoption consultant driving AI policy and governance, a data scientist leading research and innovation, an arts and culture strategist managing fundraising and an Intel East Africa manager heading partnerships. Collectively, this group will spearhead programs, workshops and dialogues that connect grassroots entrepreneurs, creatives and policymakers with opportunities to contribute to AI development.
The chapter will emphasize creative AI and AI for Good, exploring how technology can amplify gender diversity through storytelling, art, advocacy and social impact initiatives. Kenya offers a unique environment for this work, hosting the only United Nations headquarters in the global south and fostering a growing creative economy that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship. By situating the chapter in Kenya, WAI is creating a strategic hub for African women to engage with AI at the local, regional and global levels.
Over the coming months, the Kenya Chapter will focus on building its local team, developing a structured roadmap and partnering with organizations to co-design training, workshops and events. These initiatives will target women and girls in creative and impact-driven fields, equipping them with the technical, strategic and creative skills necessary to participate meaningfully in AI development. By providing mentorship, hands-on experience and professional networks, the chapter seeks to empower women to lead projects, influence policy and create AI-driven solutions that address local and global challenges.
Women in AI’s global network, active in more than 150 countries, serves as a model for how localized chapters can amplify impact. Each chapter connects local innovators to global expertise, providing mentorship, research support and opportunities for collaboration. The Kenya Chapter builds on this foundation, offering programs tailored to the country’s creative economy, technology sector and social innovation landscape. By focusing on inclusion, ethics and creativity, the chapter aims to produce leaders who can guide AI policy, design responsible AI systems and drive sustainable development outcomes.
The initiative also underscores the importance of gender diversity in AI, addressing a global challenge in which women remain underrepresented in technology and leadership roles. By creating targeted programs that combine technical skills, creative application and policy engagement, the Kenya Chapter ensures that women not only participate in AI development but also help set the agenda for ethical, inclusive and socially impactful AI.
Through this launch, Women in AI Kenya is positioned to become a key player in shaping Africa’s AI ecosystem. By linking local talent to international networks, providing mentorship and training, and championing inclusive AI practices, the chapter is expected to create lasting impact for women and girls, the creative economy and the broader technology sector in Kenya. The initiative exemplifies how targeted, collaborative approaches can empower underrepresented groups to lead in emerging technologies while contributing to sustainable innovation and social impact.
With the Kenya Chapter now active, Women in AI is ready to engage partners, innovators and policymakers to ensure that women’s voices and expertise drive the future of AI in Kenya, across Africa and globally.
