Safaricom has trained more than 6,000 employees in artificial intelligence and machine learning as the telco accelerates its transformation into a technology company, placing workforce development at the centre of its strategy to automate operations and improve customer service.
The initiative comes as businesses increasingly deploy AI to improve productivity and reduce operational costs, raising concerns about the future of employment in Kenya, where approximately one million young people enter the labour market annually.
Safaricom Group Chief People Officer Florence Nyokabi said the company is investing in employees’ technological capabilities to ensure that artificial intelligence transforms how people work rather than simply replacing them.
“Our principle is simple: automate tasks, not people,” Florence Nyokabi wrote in an opinion article published by the Daily Nation on November 8, 2026.
The company has introduced its People and AI Capability Excellence (PACE) programme to develop AI skills across its workforce, with more than 6,000 employees acquiring foundational to associate-level competencies in artificial intelligence and machine learning.
The programme is part of Safaricom’s broader ambition to become an AI-native organisation, where employees can develop and deploy intelligent technologies across different business functions.
“We want to build an AI-native organisation, where every colleague has the confidence and capability not only to consume AI, but increasingly to create with it,” Florence Nyokabi said.
Safaricom Expands AI Across Its Operations
Safaricom is integrating artificial intelligence into customer service, network management and internal business processes as it shifts from traditional telecommunications services towards a broader technology-driven business model.
According to Florence Nyokabi, AI is already helping employees simplify repetitive tasks, improve decision-making and concentrate on activities requiring human judgement and creativity.
Network engineers are using AI to anticipate and address technical problems, while customer-facing teams are applying the technology to improve service delivery and responsiveness.
The strategy reflects a wider transformation in telecommunications, where operators are increasingly using automation, predictive analytics and intelligent systems to manage complex networks and digital services.
Safaricom’s approach places particular emphasis on developing employees’ skills alongside technology adoption, rather than treating automation primarily as a mechanism for reducing headcount.
Safaricom’s 2026 Report Shows 1.4 Million Jobs and Livelihoods Supported
Safaricom’s 2026 Sustainable Business Report, released in October, provides a broader picture of the company’s contribution to employment and economic activity in Kenya.
The report estimates that Safaricom’s operations and wider business ecosystem supported approximately 1.4 million jobs and livelihoods during the financial year ended March 31, 2026, an increase of about 71,000 job-years from the previous year.
The estimates include economic activity supported through the company’s network of agents, dealers, suppliers and other business partners, rather than employees directly hired by Safaricom.
The report also estimates that Safaricom generated KSh1.247 trillion in value for Kenyan society, up approximately 10% from KSh1.133 trillion in the previous financial year.
Its net economic contribution increased to KSh654 billion from KSh632 billion.
The figures illustrate the economic reach of Safaricom’s telecommunications and mobile financial services businesses, although they do not establish how many jobs have been created specifically through artificial intelligence.
The company’s 2026 sustainability disclosures also provide workforce diversity indicators, including women holding 43.9% of senior management positions.
These figures provide context for Safaricom’s efforts to develop the capabilities required for its technology transformation.
AI Could Change 39% of Workers’ Skills by 2030
Safaricom’s AI training initiative comes amid growing concerns about the impact of automation on employment and the skills required in the global economy.
The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 estimates that 39% of workers’ existing core skills will change or become outdated by 2030, highlighting the need for companies to invest in continuous training and workforce development.
The International Labour Organization also estimates that one in four workers worldwide is employed in an occupation with some exposure to generative artificial intelligence.
However, exposure does not necessarily translate into job losses, with the ILO suggesting that most affected occupations are more likely to undergo changes in their tasks and responsibilities than disappear entirely.
Florence Nyokabi acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the pace of technological disruption and its implications for employment.
“Nobody can say precisely how fast this will move, or which jobs will look most different in five years,” Florence Nyokabi wrote.
The implications are particularly significant for Kenya, where approximately one million young people enter the labour market annually, increasing pressure on businesses and policymakers to create sustainable employment opportunities.
Florence Nyokabi argues that companies have a responsibility to ensure employees are equipped to participate in the opportunities created by emerging technologies rather than being left behind by automation.
M-PESA’s 1.4 Million Livelihoods Offer a Lesson
Florence Nyokabi pointed to the transformation of Kenya’s banking industry as evidence that technological disruption can generate new economic opportunities even as it changes traditional jobs.
The introduction of ATMs, agency banking, mobile money and digital banking platforms reduced dependence on conventional teller transactions while expanding access to financial services.
M-PESA subsequently created an extensive network of agents, merchants and businesses that depend on digital financial services for their operations.
In her opinion article, Florence Nyokabi cited more than 1.4 million livelihoods supported by the M-PESA ecosystem in Kenya as of September 2026, illustrating the potential for technology to generate economic activity beyond the businesses that introduce it.
“The machine took a task. It did not take away human possibility,” Florence Nyokabi wrote.
The example underpins Safaricom’s argument that artificial intelligence could similarly create new opportunities if businesses deliberately invest in developing employees’ skills.
However, the company’s wider economic impact figures should not be interpreted as evidence that AI has already generated equivalent employment opportunities.
Safaricom Faces Test of AI’s Impact on Employment
For Safaricom, the next challenge will be demonstrating whether its investment in artificial intelligence can generate measurable improvements in productivity while supporting employee development.
The company has disclosed the scale of its AI training initiative but has not provided a comprehensive financial assessment of the PACE programme, including its total investment, productivity returns or impact on workforce requirements.
Florence Nyokabi said employers must involve employees in decisions about technology adoption, provide opportunities to acquire new skills and maintain human accountability when AI influences decisions affecting workers.
“People do not fear technology. They fear being left behind by it,” Florence Nyokabi wrote.
The approach reflects a growing debate over whether companies can capture the economic benefits of artificial intelligence without accelerating job displacement, particularly in emerging markets where formal employment opportunities remain limited.
Safaricom’s experience could offer lessons for other African businesses seeking to modernise their operations while preparing employees for increasingly automated workplaces.
As the company pursues its ambition to become Africa’s leading purpose-led technology company by 2030, the success of its AI strategy will depend not only on the technologies it deploys but also on whether its workforce can develop the skills needed to use them effectively.
