How ChatMtaani is bringing AI to low-budget phones through SMS

As advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technologies across the world change how people access information, their reach in some places remains constrained by accessibility, high costs and infrastructure issues.

ChatMtaani, a locally developed AI-powered tool, seeks to bridge this gap by delivering Large Language Models like OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot to low-cost feature phones, commonly referred to as ‘kabambes’, via SMS.

The platform was founded by Stanley Mburu, CEO of Big Kuku, and Eugene Masinde, a faculty member at Kaimosi Friends University.

Mburu and Masinde began a pilot for the solution in September, mainly with poultry farmers who do not have access to the search engines smartphones bring about but still need to access information about farming best practices as well as pests and diseases.

“In this day and age, information access is not a luxury, it is a necessity for all human beings to be able to live and thrive… It's about ensuring that even those in the most remote areas, regardless of their socioeconomic status, can access the tools and insights to empower their lives,’ Masinde says. 

The service is available in both English and Swahili and is accessible to all Kenyans by sending an SMS to 23348 from a Safaricom line.

Mburu, drawing from his experiences with Big Kuku, adds: “Seeing first-hand the challenges that many rural entrepreneurs face, from poultry farmers to the mama mbogas, made me realize the potential that AI-driven information could have in uplifting their businesses.”

The duo says their mission is to democratize the impacts of AI for every African and ensure that technological advancements benefit everyone, not just a privileged few.

“The interactive demos we’ve had are a clear testament to the platform's potential to revolutionize how Kenyans, particularly in the agricultural sector, access vital information,” Masinde says, adding that the tool is nonetheless general-purpose and can be used to look up information across all disciplines.

ChatMtaani is currently on an on-ground awareness campaign, holding interactive sessions in local communities, schools, and business hubs as they seek to reach small-scale businesspeople and students.

The platform has received backing from the US State Department through the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX).

As alumni of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Mburu and Masinde were awarded the Leveraging Innovations in New Communities Grant.

They credit the award for not only bolstering the initial stages of development but also for highlighting the solution on the global map.