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Kenyans Made a Living Writing College Essays. Then A.I. Arrived.
Confirmed
In Short: The rise of artificial intelligence is disrupting Kenya's online academic writing market, leaving thousands of workers jobless.
The rise of artificial intelligence is sending shockwaves through Kenya's online gig economy, with thousands of Kenyans who once made a living by crafting college essays for overseas students finding themselves suddenly without work. This shift is part of a broader trend affecting the global freelance market as AI technologies capable of generating essays have dramatically diminished the demand for human-written content.
Kenyans have long been adept at tapping into international markets, leveraging the country's high literacy rate and widespread internet access to provide academic assistance to students around the world. In recent years, Kenya became a hub for online academic writing, with many individuals earning a living from this service.
However, the introduction of AI technologies has dramatically altered the landscape. These tools can now produce essays that are indistinguishable from those written by humans, leading to a significant drop in demand for human-written content. This has left many Kenyans who relied on this work feeling uncertain about their future earnings.
The disruption has also affected other sectors, such as the dairy industry. According to industry data, Kenyans are among Africa's highest consumers of pasteurised milk, and a milk shortage is causing concern. Chai, a popular milky tea, is a staple in Kenyan culture, but the shortage could impact its availability.
While the AI revolution has brought about significant changes, some experts believe that the industry can adapt. Stacia Bedford, a course leader at the London College of Fashion, notes that establishing a label can take between three and five years, suggesting that new opportunities may emerge as the market evolves.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Chai, made by boiling tea in generous amounts of milk, is sometimes flavoured with ginger and spices Kenyans love their milky tea, or chai, but some are facing the worrying possibility of doing without as the country has been hit by a milk shortage.
- "By acknowledging the losses and some of the mistakes that were made, she makes the eventual turnaround more credible. The failure hasn't been edited out of the story. It has become part of the story," she said.