Kenya has signed a partnership with U.S. artificial intelligence company Anthropic, the developer of Claude, to explore the use of AI in education, healthcare, public services and research.
The Joint Declaration, signed in New York on September 22, brings together Kenya’s government and Anthropic around four broad areas: AI applications, research, skills development and responsible deployment.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei signed the declaration for the government, while Anthropic’s Head of Beneficial Deployments, Elizabeth Kelly, signed on behalf of the company. Anthropic Global Impact Lead Ambassador Courtney O’Donnell and Kenya’s Special Envoy on Technology Philip Thigo witnessed the signing.
Under the agreement, Kenya and Anthropic will explore practical AI applications in education and health, while also examining responsible uses within government.
The partnership is also expected to support AI skills development, research, safety and evaluation. Future initiatives could include pilot projects, training programmes and research collaborations involving Kenyan institutions.
Specific AI tools or public services to be deployed under the agreement have not yet been announced.
The partnership comes as Kenya works to expand its domestic AI capabilities. The country’s AI Strategy 2025–2030, launched in March 2025, identifies AI infrastructure, data and governance, and research, innovation and commercialisation as its three main pillars.
Kenya is also developing a broader policy framework for artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, with the government seeking to balance innovation with responsible governance, public trust and economic resilience.
The agreement follows months of engagement between Kenyan officials and Anthropic. Thigo began discussions with the company in June, while an Anthropic delegation led by O’Donnell met ICT and Digital Economy Principal Secretary John Tanui in Nairobi on September 3 to discuss AI skills for public servants, support for small businesses, cybersecurity and potential pilot projects.
Thigo said Kenya could develop a different approach to working with frontier AI companies, centred on co-creation, trust, safety and local capabilities.
The partnership adds Anthropic to Kenya’s growing network of international technology partners as the country seeks to translate its AI strategy into practical applications.
The Kenyan government said earlier this month that its focus is increasingly shifting from developing digital policies to ensuring that technology delivers measurable gains in productivity, jobs, businesses and public services.
Anthropic has also expanded its engagement with African governments. In February, the company signed a three-year memorandum of understanding with Rwanda covering AI applications in health, education and the public sector.
For Kenya, the new declaration provides a framework for collaboration, but its eventual impact will depend on the pilots, research programmes and skills initiatives that emerge from the agreement.
