There are more AI companies in Kenya every year: consultancies, startups, software houses and freelancers. For a business owner, the hard part isn't finding one; it's knowing which one will actually help. Here is how to choose.
Two kinds of AI company
Project companies build something custom for you: a chatbot, a model, a dashboard. This can be right for large organisations with their own data teams, but it takes months, costs a lot upfront and needs someone to maintain it.
Product companies sell software that is ready to use, with AI built in. You pay monthly, start the same week and get updates without another project. For most small and growing businesses in Kenya, this is the practical choice.
Questions to ask any AI company in Kenya
- What will it do for my business in the first month? Ask for specifics, not promises.
- Does it work with M-Pesa, KES and Kenyan tax receipts? If it was built for another market, these will be workarounds.
- Where does the AI get its answers? From your own records, or general guesses? Are the numbers checked?
- Can my staff use it on their phones? If it needs training courses, it won't be used.
- What does it cost every month, and what happens if I stop? Can you take your data with you?
- Who supports me? How fast do they answer, and on WhatsApp?
Red flags
- No demo with your own type of business.
- Big setup fees before you see anything working.
- AI answers with no way to see where the numbers came from.
- Long contracts with no way out.
What a small business really needs
Before AI, a small business needs its records in one place: sales, stock, customers and payments. An AI company that starts there, and adds AI on top, will save you money sooner than one that starts with a model.
Frequently asked questions
Should I hire an AI consultant or use a product?
For most SMEs, a product with AI built in is faster and cheaper. Consultants make sense for large, unusual projects.
How long should it take to see value?
With a ready product, weeks. With a custom project, often months.
Is my data safe with an AI company?
Ask where it's kept, who can see it, and whether it's used to train anything outside your account.
Can I switch later?
Choose a company that lets you export your data.
Afritelligence is an AI company in Kenya building ready-to-use AI for Kenyan SMEs. see the prices.
Run your shop on Afritelligence
POS with M-Pesa, stock, suppliers, credit and intelligent Insights — on the phone or computer you already have.
Sign up free
