SAMAWATI COLLECTIVE AND SEMABOX HAVE OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED A PUBLIC-INTEREST AI MOVEMENT AIMED AT TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE AND AGRICULTURE IN KENYA.

The discussion which was convened by stakeholders from government, civil society, healthcare, agriculture, and technology sectors has highlighted AI’s growing role in improving maternal healthcare, supporting smallholder farmers with better data and climate insights, enhancing food security, and strengthening public service delivery.

Speaking during a high-level panel discussion held at Baraza Media Lab in Nairobi, Samawati Collective Executive Director, Maurice Otieno said that the artificial intelligence is already shaping decisions in Kenya’s clinics and farms, stressing that the key question is whether the people affected by those decisions have a voice in how the technology is developed and used.

The convening was designed to ensure public-interest in AI is built alongside communities including farmers, mothers, clinicians, and citizens rather than simply being deployed on them. He further emphasized that the focus should not be on admiring the technology itself, but on collectively determining the benefits it should deliver to improve lives and strengthen public services.

The initiative seeks to build a collaborative ecosystem that aligns with Kenya’s National AI Strategy 2025–2030, ensuring AI delivers real benefits to communities across the country.