Synopsis
South Africa's initial national AI policy has been shelved following alarming findings that it included fictitious citations, likely produced through AI technologies. Minister Solly Malatsi voiced his concerns about the authenticity of the draft, stressing the critical need for human supervision in AI deployment. The individuals accountable for these discrepancies are facing potential sanctions."The most plausible explanation is that AI-generated citations were included without proper verification. This should not have happened," Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi said.
"This failure is not a mere technical issue but has compromised the integrity and credibility of the draft policy," he wrote in a post on X on Sunday.
The policy, unveiled this month for public comment before finalization, sought to position South Africa as a continental leader in AI innovation while addressing ethical, social and economic challenges.
It outlined plans to establish new institutions, including a National AI Commission, an AI Ethics Board and an AI Regulatory Authority, and to create incentives such as tax breaks, grants, and subsidies to encourage private-sector collaboration.
Malatsi said there would be consequences for those responsible for drafting the policy, and did not say when a new one would be released.
"This unacceptable lapse proves why vigilant human oversight over the use of artificial intelligence is critical. It's a lesson we take with humility," he wrote.
