South Africa has withdrawn its first draft national artificial intelligence policy after it emerged that the document contained fictitious sources in its reference list, raising concerns that parts of it may have been generated using AI tools without proper verification.
The policy, which had been released for public comment ahead of finalisation, was intended to position the country as a continental leader in artificial intelligence while addressing the ethical, social, and economic implications of the technology.
However, the discovery of non-existent citations has triggered a credibility crisis for the initiative.
Reacting to the development, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, acknowledged the lapse and pointed to the likely cause.
“the most plausible explanation is that AI-generated citations were included without proper verification. This should not have happened.
“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The withdrawn draft had outlined ambitious plans, including the creation of new institutions such as a National AI Commission, an AI Ethics Board, and an AI Regulatory Authority. It also proposed incentives like tax breaks, grants, and subsidies to encourage private sector participation in AI development.
Despite the setback, Malatsi indicated that accountability measures would follow, noting that those responsible for the drafting process would face consequences. He did not, however, provide a timeline for the release of a revised policy.
“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.
The incident underscores growing global concerns about the risks of relying on artificial intelligence tools without adequate human oversight, particularly in high-stakes policy formulation.
