AI Wiped Out Kenya's College Essay Writing Industry in Two Years - Startup Fortune
2026-09-05
Startup Fortune
The information displayed in the AIM should not be reported as representing the official views of the OECD or of its member countries.
The deployment of AI systems like ChatGPT led to the collapse of Kenya's outsourced essay writing industry, resulting in the loss of up to 40,000 jobs and significant income reduction for gig workers. This rapid disruption has caused widespread economic harm to Kenyan communities reliant on online knowledge work.[AI generated]
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The AI system (ChatGPT) is explicitly mentioned as the cause of the collapse of the essay writing industry, which was a major source of income for many Kenyan gig workers. The harm is realized and direct, as workers' incomes have fallen sharply and many have lost their livelihoods. This fits the definition of an AI Incident because the AI system's use has directly led to significant economic harm to a group of people. The event is not merely a potential risk or a complementary update but a clear case of harm caused by AI deployment.[AI generated]