Artificial Intelligence is the most searched topic by Kenyans in the Google search engine. Trends show that people have searched for Artificial Intelligence (AI) more than ever in 2023 so far, with interest rising 270 per cent since last year, and 400 per cent in the last five years.
According to Google research, questions many people ask about AI include whether it will take their jobs, where AI is used, if AI is dangerous and the potential of AI.
Searches for “how to use artificial intelligence? (+350 per cent), “what is an AI?” (+300 per cent), “how AI works” (+200 per cent) and “how to make artificial intelligence” (+200 per cent) are all trending.
Search interest in AI in relation to jobs increased by over 5,000 per cent this year – while searches for AI in relation to CV or resume building increased by 1,150 per cent and searches in relation to AI courses doubled (+100 per cent). Searches for “free AI image generator” (+2,500 per cent), “AI music generator” (+2,200 per cent), “AI website builder” (+1,600 per cent), “AI video generator” (+1,400 per cent) and “logo maker AI” (+1,150 per cent) all also increased.
“It’s great to see people in Kenya showing such a keen interest in the transformational technology that is AI. People in Africa and across the world are already using and benefiting from responsibly developed AI-based tools every day – but the speed of technological advancement is accelerating, and while it’s exhilarating to see these breakthroughs, it’s important that we get it right here in Kenya,” Agnes Gathaiya, Director, East Africa said.
The trends, released on Monday, also show that people in Kenya are increasingly interested in building their careers and learning new skills.
People in Kenya are also turning to Google looking for resources to build their careers. Searches for AI courses increased by 100 per cent, while searches for “online business from home” have increased by 250 per cent since last year, and “how to register a business” have increased by 200 per cent.
People in Kenya are also looking to gain new certifications, particularly in digital skills – with searches for courses in virtual assistance (+450 per cent), data analysis (+200 per cent), digital marketing (+200 per cent), and cybersecurity (+100 per cent) all increasing significantly this year.
People in Kenya also care about protecting their cybersecurity and fighting misinformation.
The trends released by Google today also show that people in Kenya continue to be concerned about protecting their cybersecurity. Searches for “DNS hijacking” (+350 per cent), “click fraud” (+150 per cent) and “voice phishing” (+100 per cent) are all trending, having increased significantly since last year.
Search interest in misinformation has also increased: with searches for “fake news” increasing by over 5,000 per cent over the past ten years, while searches for “fact-checking” and “disinformation” rose by 2,700 per cent and 1,150 per cent respectively over the past ten years. Searches for “how to identify fake news” have increased by 200 per cent, while searches for “types of disinformation” have increased by 60 per cent.
