Technology
AI brainpower got cheap
Running artificial intelligence (AI) at the level of an older top model became about 280 times cheaper in two years, from about $20 to about 7 cents per million tokens between November 2022 and October 2024. That means a very small team can now do work that once needed hundreds of people.
The force
AI is computer software that can read, write, answer questions and translate. Using it is priced by the "token", a small piece of a word. The Stanford AI Index 2025 found that the cost of running a model as good as an earlier top model fell about 280 times, from about $20 to about 7 cents per million tokens, between November 2022 and October 2024 (Stanford AI Index 2025).
At the same time, free "open" models caught up with the best paid ones. The gap between them fell from 15.2% in May 2023 to about 3.4% in March 2026 (Stanford AI Index 2026). So the price fell and the choice of suppliers grew.
How fast it is moving
Some 2026 reports say prices kept halving every few months, citing the AI Index 2026 (DEV Community).
Inside the country
Somali-language AI already exists, though it is thin. Hormuud's Caaqil answers questions in Somali by SMS: users dial *1000# with no internet or smartphone needed (Garowe Online). Shaqodoon's NaMaqal turns spoken Somali into text for UN agencies and aid groups (TechCabal). Somali National University opened a national AI centre in July 2026 (Intelligent CIO).
Outside the country
Cheap AI is already serving people on basic phones elsewhere. In Zambia, Viamo's voice line let about 36,000 people ask 614,000 questions by calling a short number, and 95% got an answer (GSMA).
What it does not solve
AI can be wrong in ways that sound right, and it is not clear who is responsible when it is. A court held Air Canada responsible for false answers given by its chatbot (CEPA). Any service built on AI needs people checking it.
What it means for young Somalis
A young Somali with a laptop can now build a service that answers millions of questions in Somali, for a cost that was impossible three years ago. The force is cheap brainpower, open to anyone.
Sources
- Stanford AI Index 2025 · hai.stanford.edu
- Stanford AI Index 2026 · hai.stanford.edu
- DEV Community · dev.to
- Garowe Online · garoweonline.com
- TechCabal · techcabal.com
- Intelligent CIO · intelligentcio.com
- GSMA · gsma.com
- CEPA · cepa.org
Gathered in our research record “Foundational tailwinds”. Wikipedia is used only as a backup.
Toosoo!
Since 1895, every generation has worked for one united, prosperous Somalia. Now it is our generation.
Can you help with AI brainpower got cheap? Tell us what you can give.
I want to help with this
Keep reading
- Free open AI models caught upFree "open" AI models, which anyone can download and run, are now almost as good as the best paid ones.
- AI now works on basic phonesAI no longer needs a smartphone or internet: people can call a short number or send an SMS and get answers by voice or text on any basic phone.
- Somali language tech existsTechnology that understands and speaks Somali already exists and is growing. Jamhuriya University released an open Somali language model in March 2024…
- Mobile money is the road to everyoneMobile money is how almost every Somali pays and gets paid: more than 89% use it as their main financial tool, while fewer than 1 in 10 have a bank account.
- Telcos open their pipes to buildersSomalia's biggest telecom company, Hormuud, lets outside businesses plug into its payment, SMS, USSD and voice-call systems.
- One national payment systemSomalia now has one national instant payment system, SIPS, with a single QR code standard, SOMQR, that went live in 2025 with 7 banks.