South Africa's AI Plan Stumbles on Fictitious References

South Africa has retracted its first draft national AI policy. This action followed the revelation that the document contained fictitious citations, which appeared to have been generated by artificial intelligence. Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi confirmed the issue, stating that AI-generated citations were likely included without proper verification. This lapse, he noted, has significantly compromised the integrity and credibility of the draft policy.

The policy, which was released this month for public comment, aimed to establish South Africa as a leader in continental AI innovation while addressing associated ethical, social, and economic challenges. It proposed new institutions like a National AI Commission and an AI Ethics Board, alongside incentives for private sector collaboration.

Minister Malatsi acknowledged the unacceptable nature of this oversight, underscoring the critical need for vigilant human oversight when utilizing artificial intelligence. He indicated that consequences would follow for those responsible for the policy's drafting. The minister did not provide a timeline for the release of a revised policy, emphasizing the humility with which this lesson was received.