AI adoption in corporate communication and stakeholder engagement in select Kenyan parastatals
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51867/ajernet.7.4.29Keywords:
Artificial Intelligence, corporate communication, stakeholder engagement, parastatals, Kenya, Diffusion of InnovationsAbstract
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping organisational communication worldwide, raising fresh questions about how public sector institutions in developing countries are managing the transition. This study examined the adoption of AI in corporate communication and its perceived influence on stakeholder engagement in two purposively selected parastatals under Kenya’s Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy (MICDE): the Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board (KYEB) and the Media Council of Kenya (MCK). The study used a descriptive design combining qualitative and quantitative approaches, anchored in Systems Theory and Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations Theory, which together framed both the interview themes and the analytical coding. The target population comprised all 20 corporate communication officers employed in the two parastatals. Because it was small and bounded, a census-like approach was used and all 20 officers were invited. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 corporate communication officers (a 90% response rate), and the data was analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis, complemented by descriptive frequency counts. The findings show that adoption centred on generative and task-specific tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Canva AI, are used mainly to create, edit, and format content and reports. Implementation was largely informal, decentralised, and driven by individual officers rather than institutional strategy. Accuracy and reliability concerns were the most widely reported challenge (78% of respondents), followed by the absence of formal training (67%) and ethical concerns around data privacy and algorithmic bias. The study, established that AI improved communication speed, efficiency, and responsiveness, but its contribution to deeper, relational stakeholder engagement remained limited, as only 22% of respondents used AI for personalised stakeholder communication. Because these percentages describe a small purposive sample, they are presented as descriptive of the study group rather than generalisable estimates. The findings provide context-specific empirical data to the still largely unstudied realm of AI in corporate communication and public sector governance in sub-Saharan Africa, and provide actionable recommendations. For the parastatals, these are a formal, leadership-endorsed AI communication strategy and guidelines, regular training and capacity building, upgraded tools and infrastructure, and systematic monitoring and evaluation of AI-supported communication. For the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, they are sector-specific AI governance guidelines anchored in the Data Protection Act, 2019, and a coordinated capacity-building programme, so that practice aligns with the National Digital Masterplan in Kenya.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Hilary Mwenda Kaimenyi, MPRSK, Dr Daniel Oloo Ong'ong'a (PhD)
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