Author: Peter Grealy

The publication of South Africa’s Draft National AI Policy (Draft Policy) marks a turning point for organisations that develop, deploy or rely on artificial intelligence (AI). Beyond signalling the emergence of formal AI regulation, the Draft Policy introduces new expectations around governance, ethics, accountability and sector-specific oversight. The Draft Policy, published by the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), states its underlying policy imperative as the development of a comprehensive, inclusive and ethically grounded national policy that ensures responsible innovation, protects the public interest and advances socio-economic transformation. The public comment process is open until 10 June 2026 and…