AI and Automation
AI And Automation Revolutionizing Social Market Research
By Chris Githaiga
Artificial intelligence( AI) and automation is increasingly playing a significant role in Kenya’ s digital landscape, impacting service delivery across all sectors of the economy.
Among the sectors where AI and automation applications have found their way in are education, agriculture, e-commerce, health and Fintech. This has been made possible through various initiative by the Government and development partners to establish a robust digital infrastructure and driven by a combination of government support, private-sector innovation, development partners, and academic research.
With the country boasting of one of the highest internet and mobile devices penetration rate across the continent, AI is not just the technology of the future but a digital priority that is transforming its economic, social, and cultural landscapes.
Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya shows that as of March 2024, Kenya had 22.71 million internet users, translating to an internet penetration rate of 40.8 % and a mobile penetration rate of 118 % with 68 million mobile cellular connections.
With a median age of 19, the country ' s young population is highly engaged with technology, seeking digital solutions in everyday life.
One area where AI and automation is certain to tremendously transform is social marketing research. By offering efficiency and deeper insights, AI is already pushing the boundaries of what ' s possible in understanding and influencing public behavior.
As the world of technology continues to evolve, it also behooves social market research industry leaders to put in place measures that will enable them stay on top of emerging trends so that they are able to tap exciting opportunities and new directions.
Already there is excitement and apprehension about the future of AI and automation, among the global public showing to the extent at which technology is going to shape the world. What this means is that AI-driven research must take the lead to help businesses understand their markets to stay relevant.
According to Ipsos Predictions Survey 2025, the fear of AI-driven job losses( 65 %)
By leveraging AI, social marketing research can become more precise, timely, and impactful, helping researchers to understand their target audience and design more effective campaigns. continues to outweigh the expectation of AI-driven job creation( 43 %). This trend echoes previous years, but the gap appears to be slightly narrowing. Optimism shines in China, where 77 % foresee AI creating jobs, while concerns dominate in Japan, with 65 % predicting job losses.
The perceived allure of virtual worlds is growing, with 59 % globally expecting increased engagement with such platforms, up 3 percentage points since in 2022. Western countries like the USA( 45 %), Sweden( 46 %) and Great Britain( 46 %) tend to be more skeptical whereas emerging economies like Indonesia( 94 %), Turkey( 79 %) and Brazil( 74 %) are confident in their views on such a reality.
In the digital era, where AI-driven social market research is taking root, business who embrace the new order stand to gain a lot. Gone are the days when market researchers were immersed in timeconsuming traditional methods of data collection and analysis.
Leveraging advanced AI and analytics tools, companies can instantly capture and analyze customer feedback, allowing them to adjust their products, services, or marketing strategies immediately. This level of responsiveness not only maintains business visibility among target audiences but also fosters enhanced trust and loyalty.
Nearly 90 % of researchers are now regularly using AI-powered tools in their day-to-day activities and that’ s because AI is enabling their teams to do more research with the same team size.
Our studies show that consensus is growing that AI will be an indispensable part of research operations moving forward,
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