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New research · Nendo × Looka
Tool abundance. Hidden intimacy. Uneven advantage.
We asked 1,161 people across 18 counties how they use AI: for work and study, for money and health, and for the things they haven’t told anyone else. Play the story, find your player, then download the full report.
A game-style retelling with seven characters built from the findings. Press start, or use the controls to jump between chapters.
Prefer to read? Everything in the story is on this page, starting with the headline numbers. On a phone, tap full screen and turn your phone sideways.
97%
aware of conversational AI
87.8%
use AI daily or several times a week
91.2%
say AI made them more effective in work or study
72%
have used AI for emotional support or a personal situation
Nendo / Looka detailed module, n=1,161; unweighted descriptive results. 18 counties.
One-minute game
Six quick questions. After each one, see how the 1,161 people in the survey answered. Your answers stay on this device.
Finding 1
Nobody stumbles into AI. Only 2.5% report accidental use.
52.8%
use AI every day
78.6%
used two or more AI tools in the past 30 days
34.9%
use four or more
A phone gives you AI. A computer gives you depth.
ChatGPT = habit (93% aware, 85% active in past 30 days).
Meta AI = convenience (embedded access changes discovery).
Finding 2
Then it gets personal: health, translation, emotional support, everyday life.
72%
have used AI for emotional support or a personal situation
46.3%
use AI for things they haven’t told others about
Trust is not the same as accuracy.
The more personal AI becomes, the more trust matters.
Finding 3
91.2%
say AI made them more effective in work or study
39.2%
effective + worried about jobs/income
52%
effective + not worried
98%
would recommend AI or already have
The contradiction is the story.
72%
would use AI more if it truly understood Kenyan culture and language
25.1%
have received advice that felt culturally wrong
Local isn’t translation. Local is culture.
Local is knowing the difference between Kenya and a stereotype.
Character select
Seven illustrative archetypes built from the findings. They are not measured segments of Kenyans; each one carries a real number from the survey.
The Grinder · Daily Warrior
52.8% use AI every day
Special move: Morning Prompt Combo. Weakness: Autopilot.
“Creating cover letter. Writing a research paper. Designing a business strategy.”
The Juggler · Toolbox Mage
78.6% use two or more tools; 34.9% use four or more
Special move: Tool Switch Chain. Weakness: No single tool sees the whole story.
“Write meeting minutes. Find vacation homes. Seek emotional support.”
The Scholar · Sage
77.3% use AI for research & information
Special move: Lesson Plan Summon. Weakness: Trusting the first answer.
“To help in my school study assignments … translate from English to Japanese … write my lesson plans for teaching practice.”
The Hustler · Merchant
58.6% use AI for professional work
Special move: Business Plan Blitz. Weakness: Advice that doesn’t know the local market.
“Building my business portfolio. Researching on business ideas. Financial advice.”
The Night Confidant · Moonlight Listener
72% have used AI for emotional support or a personal situation
Special move: 3 AM Heart-to-Heart. Weakness: Trust without guardrails.
The more personal AI becomes, the more trust matters.
The Worried Achiever · Paladin
91.2% say AI made them more effective; 39.2% are effective AND worried about jobs or income
Special move: Deadline Crusher. Weakness: The three-year question.
The contradiction is the story.
The Sheng Seeker · Bard
72% would use AI more if it truly understood Kenyan culture and language
Special move: Sheng Flow. Weakness: AI that speaks English but not Kenyan.
Local isn’t translation. Local is culture.
The framework
Level 1
Devices, connectivity, messaging, AI availability
97%aware
Level 2
Frequency, tool adoption, experimentation
87.8%daily or weekly
Level 3
Professional capability, learning, income, decision quality, productivity
91.2%more effective
Level 4 · locked
Better outcomes, economic opportunity, confidence, mobility
Use it wellis the key
The next digital divide may not be who has AI. It may be who can turn it into advantage.
The opportunity is not simply to get more people using AI. It is to help more people use it well.
Choose your guild
QuestHype → measurement
QuestReach → deeper workflows
QuestAccess → performance
QuestLearning → livelihood
QuestInnovation → safety
Free download
How Kenyans Use AI, by Nendo, powered by Looka. Tell us who you are and the report is yours.
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Nendo / Looka detailed module, n=1,161; unweighted descriptive results. 18 counties. The seven players are illustrative archetypes built from the findings, not measured segments. Respondent quotes are reproduced as written.
