Why the next wave of AI belongs to the individual: From hype to practical execution

What the report says

Agnes Aistleitner, a venture capitalist and co-founder of First Circle Capital based in Kampala, argues in a commentary for The Independent Uganda that the next phase of artificial intelligence in East Africa and other emerging markets will be driven less by large centralized systems and more by practical, individual use. She bases her view in part on the atmosphere at ClawCon Nairobi at Strathmore University, where she was among more than 400 developers and entrepreneurs.

In the piece, Aistleitner says AI is shifting from reactive chatbots toward personal agents that help users complete tasks, and she frames the key issue as usefulness rather than technical novelty. She says AI-assisted development is making it easier and cheaper for small teams to build and test products, but warns that lower costs alone do not ensure commercial success.

The commentary emphasizes discipline for founders: solve a real operational problem, find paying customers early, and avoid scaling before a product is proven. For companies and SME leaders, she says the broader opportunity is not just reducing staff, but improving productivity, customer service, decision-making and growth through automation and open-source AI tools.

Aistleitner also highlights the need for safeguards around privacy, cybersecurity, intellectual property and human oversight. More broadly, she argues that AI literacy should extend beyond technical teams to managers, executives and professionals across sectors, because the competitive edge will belong to those who can use AI effectively in everyday work.