The modern-day priest: Who should we trust with our digital confessions?

Intimate confessions are no longer whispered to a priest but typed into search engines, AI assistants, banking apps, and government portals. AI has accelerated this shift: millions now seek career advice from chatbots, discuss health concerns, and manage finances through apps. In Kenya, platforms like mobile banking, eCitizen, and AI-powered customer support require ever more personal data. The article argues that trust is not ensured by legal compliance alone but by responsible choices such as Privacy by Design, which is emerging as a strategic business advantage.