By Edwin Austin
Kenya’s Special Envoy on Technology, Ambassador Phillip Thigo, MBS, has been named to the Government AI 100: 2026 which is a leading global list recognising public sector officials driving responsible artificial intelligence (AI) adoption and governance worldwide.
Compiled by Apolitical, the Government AI 100 list celebrates 100 influential public servants steering their governments towards ethical, inclusive, and innovation-driven AI strategies. Ambassador Thigo’s inclusion not only highlights his personal contributions but also underscores Kenya’s ascending role in shaping the future of global AI policy and governance.
Over the last couple of years, Amb. Thigo has played a pivotal role in multilateral forums that define the emerging global frameworks for AI governance. Notably, Kenya’s leadership at the Seventh United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) culminated in the historic adoption of a resolution linking AI governance with environmental sustainability, which is a first-ever global framework addressing AI’s impact through the lens of planetary boundaries and ecological protection.
On the digital governance front, Philip Thigo has actively contributed to key international dialogues such as the World Summit on the Information Society +20 Review (WSIS+20). His engagement has helped shape discussions around inclusive digital transformation, capacity building, and harnessing emerging technologies for sustainable development.
Further, he has been instrumental in advancing the Global Digital Compact implementation. This involves supporting core institutions like the Global Dialogue Mechanism on Artificial Intelligence and the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, both established to facilitate inclusive, data-driven, and cooperative global AI governance.
Among the World’s Leading AI Public Servants
Ambassador Thigo shares the Government AI 100 platform with top-tier AI and technology leaders such as Amandeep Singh Gill, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, and Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence. This esteemed list comprises government officials, policymakers, and regulators from continents including Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas who are all driving national AI strategies and modernizing public service delivery.
This global recognition affirms the visionary technology and innovation agenda championed by President William Ruto’s administration. Prioritizing digital transformation as a cornerstone of economic growth, job creation, and enhanced public services, Kenya has positioned AI as a strategic enabler of development. The government actively engages in shaping international AI norms to ensure that emerging technologies remain safe, inclusive, and aligned with the public good.
Ambassador Philip Thigo’s Response
Expressing his gratitude, he stated, “I am deeply honoured to be recognised by Apolitical in the Government AI 100: 2026, a list that celebrates the public servants around the world who are pioneering the responsible adoption, regulation, and capacity building of artificial intelligence in government.
This recognition is not just a personal milestone, it reflects the collective effort of the visionary public servants and partners with whom I am privileged to work, and whom I now call friends. AI has immense potential to transform public services and drive inclusive development, but it must remain ethical, human-centred, and equitable.”
Ambassador Phillip Thigo’s acknowledgment on this eminent roster marks a defining achievement for Kenya’s technology diplomacy as the nation continues to forge a path in global AI governance, championing responsible innovation for sustainable and inclusive development.