What do 1,200 Kenyans tell a chatbot that they won’t tell another human being? Many people think generative AI was built to draft emails and automate spreadsheets. But nearly half of the Kenyans surveyed in a recent study are using it as a 24/7 digital confidant, sharing personal anxieties, relationship crises and unspoken secrets. In this edition of Delve Into AI, ADONIJAH NDEGE examines new research by Nendo. This Nairobi-based research consultancy reveals how chatbots are quietly crossing the line from productivity tools to emotional safe spaces, and why seeking life advice from code carries subtle new risks.
This finding offers a striking measure of how rapidly generative AI is evolving beyond its initial promise as a mere productivity tool.
Chatbots were designed to help users write emails, summarise reports, search for information, and automate routine tasks. While fulfilling those functions, an increasing number of users are now treating them as digital confidants.
In a survey published by Nairobi-based research consultancy Nendo, 46.3% of respondents admitted using AI for matters kept secret from others. Notably, 72% had turned to AI for emotional support or to navigate personal circumstances, with 54.1% doing so on a weekly basis.
Originally published by TechCabal.