Thousands of Kenyan workers who made a living writing college essays for overseas students have seen their income stream dramatically decline with the arrival of AI tools, according to a report by The New York Times. The essay-writing industry had provided crucial employment for many Kenyans in the online gig economy.
According to The New York Times, the work has “dried up” as AI technologies capable of generating written content have become widely available. The publication characterizes this development as “a warning for online gig work that has been a global lifeline,” highlighting broader concerns about how AI automation may affect workers in developing countries who have relied on remote digital work opportunities.
The disruption in Kenya’s essay-writing sector illustrates the vulnerability of gig economy jobs to rapid technological change. While the essay-writing business served overseas students seeking academic assistance, it had become an important source of income for thousands of Kenyan workers before AI tools effectively automated much of this work.