Kenyan firm seeks to export AI talent to the world

A Kenyan technology firm is positioning the country as a rising force in the global artificial intelligence (AI) space.

Pathways Technologies, a Kenya and U.S.–based company, has launched an ambitious initiative to train and export world-class AI engineers to international markets.

At the centre of the mission is the company’s CEO Joel Onditi, a Kenyan-born, Harvard and MIT-trained technology expert and Professor of Practice at the University of Denver, who is widely regarded as Kenya’s “AI Czar.”

“Our goal is not just to teach coding, but to build creators of technology — innovators who can compete and collaborate on the global stage,” said Mr. Onditi.

“Kenyan youth have the talent, drive, and curiosity. What they need is opportunity — and that’s what Pathways exists to provide.”

With a bold rallying call of “Tunafinya computer, but we are also building world-class AI systems,” Pathways Technologies is redefining Kenya’s role in the digital economy.

Through advanced training, hands-on experience, and partnerships with international institutions, the firm is equipping young Kenyan engineers with the skills to develop AI systems that serve global industries.

The company’s hybrid model blends Silicon Valley’s innovation culture with Kenya’s rapidly expanding tech ecosystem; an approach designed to shift the nation from being a consumer of digital tools to a producer of global technological solutions.

According to its mission statement, Pathways Technologies is dedicated to preparing Africa’s next generation of AI engineers and innovators to build intelligent systems that solve real-world challenges.

Its long-term vision is to make Kenya a hub for AI innovation and talent export; a move aimed at fueling the continent’s contribution to shaping the world’s digital future.