By the end of this year, nearly seven in ten companies in Kenya hope to be fully using artificial intelligence.
For now, most are still far from that goal.
A new global survey by KPMG shows that while enthusiasm for AI has grown sharply, only 26 per cent of firms in Kenya say they have fully adopted the technology so far. The figure highlights how slow progress has been over the past three years, despite constant talk of digital change.
The findings are drawn from KPMG’s Global Tech Report 2026, which surveyed more than 2,500 senior executives across 27 countries and territories.
The message from boardrooms is clear: expectations are high. Delivery is harder.
Many companies are moving away from small pilot projects and trying to place AI at the centre of their operations, from customer service to internal systems. But the shift brings new pressures.
“Scaling is where things become complicated,” the report notes, adding that financial returns vary widely between firms.
Some organizations are already seeing strong results. Companies described as high performers, those with mature systems and clear processes, reported returns close to five times their investment. That is more than double the industry average.
Smaller firms also fared better than expected, posting returns of about 3.6 times their spending. Businesses facing fewer cost pressures and those focused on long-term change recorded higher gains too.
Yet success is far from guaranteed.
Rather than a single winning formula, the report describes different “zones” of return — from quick early gains to broader value that only appears once systems and skills mature. In many firms, that maturity remains out of reach.
While 88 per cent of companies surveyed say they are investing in so-called agent-based AI systems, only 24 per cent report consistent returns across several uses. Most are still experimenting, learning where the technology truly fits.
There is also a widening gap between ambition and capability.
More than half of organizations (53 per cent) admit they do not yet have the skilled workers needed to carry out their digital plans. Even so, 90 per cent say they plan to expand partnerships with technology firms in the coming year.
For many leaders, the pressure to move faster is growing. At least 78 per cent of respondents said they must take greater risks with emerging technologies if they want to stay competitive.
Guy Holland, global head of KPMG’s CIO Centre of Excellence, said companies were beginning to show more discipline after years of scattered experimentation.
“Our research shows organisations are moving beyond placing random bets on new tools,” he said. “They are now far more focused on turning intelligence into real value.”
Still, the rise of AI does not appear to signal the end of human roles.
Companies expect about 42 per cent of their technology workforce to remain in permanent human roles by 2027, only slightly lower than current levels. High-performing firms plan to retain even more, with half of their tech staff expected to stay in place.
The figures suggest a quieter truth behind the hype: AI may be changing how work is done, but it is not replacing people at the pace many once feared.
For Kenya’s businesses, the challenge now is less about ambition and more about execution.
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