South Africa has released a draft national artificial intelligence policy aimed at accelerating AI adoption while strengthening governance, ethics, and economic inclusion. Published by the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, the proposal seeks to position the country as a leading AI hub in Africa while addressing social, ethical, and economic risks linked to emerging technologies. The government has opened the policy for public comment until June 10. The draft outlines the creation of several new bodies, including a National AI Commission, an AI Ethics Board, and an AI Regulatory Authority to oversee compliance, enforce standards, and handle AI-related harm. It also proposes incentives such as tax breaks, grants, and subsidies to support startups and private-sector innovation. A major focus is investment in supercomputing and digital infrastructure, along with partnerships with global cloud providers. However, the policy also raises concerns about dependence on foreign technology infrastructure and the need to strengthen domestic capabilities for data security and sovereignty.
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