Kenya Partners with AI Developer Anthropic to Shape Public Sector and Education Technology

Kenya has signed a new artificial intelligence partnership with U.S. artificial intelligence company Anthropic, which owns Claude, to explore the use of the technology in four key areas, including education and public-sector services. The Joint Declaration signed in New York on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, will also cover health, artificial intelligence research, and skills development as Kenya expands its efforts to build local capacity in emerging technologies. Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Dr. Abraham Korir Sing’Oei signed the agreement on behalf of Kenya, and Anthropic’s Head of Beneficial Deployments, Elizabeth Kelly, signed for the company. Anthropic Global Impact Lead Ambassador Courtney O’Donnell and Kenya’s Special Envoy on Technology Ambassador Philip Thigo witnessed the ceremony.

Under the partnership, Kenya and Anthropic will explore real-world artificial intelligence applications in education and health while also developing responsible public-sector uses of the technology. Artificial intelligence and machine learning bias is a recognised concern for organisations developing products and services using this technology. The two sides will also work on artificial intelligence skills and capacity building, research, safety, and evaluation, with future programmes expected to include pilots, training, and research initiatives involving Kenyan institutions. The partnership could eventually give Kenyans access to artificial intelligence-powered tools in schools, hospitals, and government services, with the two sides expected to develop and test applications with Kenyan institutions.

In education, this could support learning, teaching, and other services, while in healthcare, artificial intelligence could be explored for applications that improve how services are delivered. For government workers and the wider public, the deal could also create new artificial intelligence training opportunities and more efficient public services as Kenya develops local capacity to use the technology. The agreement provides for skills development, research, and pilot programmes, although specific tools or services for the public have not yet been announced. The deal follows months of engagement between Kenya and Anthropic, with Ambassador Thigo beginning discussions with the company in June 2026 before travelling to Silicon Valley to meet Anthropic Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei.

Thigo said Kenya had an opportunity to develop a different model for working with frontier artificial intelligence companies based on co-creation, trust, safety, and local capability. On September 3, ICT and Digital Economy Principal Secretary John Tanui met an Anthropic delegation led by O’Donnell, with discussions focusing on artificial intelligence skills for public servants, small and medium-sized enterprises, cybersecurity, and potential pilot projects. The partnership forms part of Kenya’s wider technology diplomacy agenda and comes as the country implements its Kenya Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025-2030 and develops its policy framework for artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

Why This Matters

This partnership signals a concerted push by the Kenyan government to institutionalise frontier artificial intelligence within critical pillars of public service delivery. By engaging directly with developers of major foundational models like Claude, policymakers are attempting to shape how foreign technologies are adapted to local environments rather than passively adopting external solutions. This aligns directly with the nation's broader technology diplomacy agenda and the ongoing implementation of the Kenya Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025-2030, establishing a formalized framework for national governance of digital tools.

Addressing recognized concerns such as machine learning bias through formal evaluation and safety frameworks is crucial when deploying automated systems in sensitive domains like health and education. The framework emphasizes co-creation, safety, and local capability, positioning Kenyan institutions to actively participate in testing and deployment rather than acting as mere end-users. By integrating training for public servants and small and medium-sized enterprises, the strategy attempts to build foundational digital resilience across both government operations and the broader economy.

Opportunities

• Educational Institutions: Direct participation in upcoming pilot programmes, research initiatives, and testing environments designed to integrate artificial intelligence tools into learning and teaching frameworks.
• Public Sector Integrators: Opportunities to collaborate with government bodies on deploying responsible public-sector tools, improving administrative efficiency, and building localized service delivery applications.
• Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Access to specialized artificial intelligence training initiatives and capacity-building programmes aimed at enhancing technological adoption and cybersecurity awareness.
• Technology Researchers: Engagement in safety evaluations, research partnerships, and bias-mitigation studies alongside international developers and state entities.

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