South Africa has withdrawn its draft national Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy after it was found to contain fabricated academic references, raising serious concerns about oversight in the use of AI during government policy drafting.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, confirmed the withdrawal, saying the document’s integrity had been fundamentally compromised.
“The most plausible explanation is that AI-generated citations were included without proper verification. This should not have happened,” Malatsi said in a statement.
He added that the problem went beyond a simple error and struck at the credibility of the entire policy process.
“This failure is not a mere technical issue but has compromised the integrity and credibility of the draft policy,” he said.
How the issue emerged
The draft AI policy, initially approved by Cabinet in March 2026 and released for public consultation in April, was intended to guide South Africa’s approach to artificial intelligence governance. It included proposals for institutions such as a National AI Commission, an AI Ethics Board, and an AI Regulatory Authority, as well as incentives to promote investment in the sector.
However, scrutiny of the document revealed that several academic sources cited in the references section did not exist. Further checks confirmed that multiple citations were fictitious, likely generated through AI systems and included without proper verification.
The inconsistencies were first flagged during external review processes, prompting an internal investigation by the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies. The review confirmed that the references could not be authenticated, leading to the decision to withdraw the policy entirely.
Government response
Malatsi said the department would take steps to address accountability, but did not specify whether disciplinary action would follow or who might be held responsible. He also did not provide a timeline for when a revised policy would be released.
He stressed that stricter safeguards would be introduced to prevent similar failures in future policy development processes.
“This unacceptable lapse proves why vigilant human oversight over the use of artificial intelligence is critical,” he said.
Broader implications
The incident has sparked wider debate about the risks of relying on artificial intelligence in official documentation, particularly the issue of AI-generated “hallucinations” that can produce convincing but false information.
Experts note that while AI tools are increasingly used to assist in drafting and research, the absence of rigorous human verification can lead to significant credibility failures, especially in government and academic contexts.
For South Africa, the withdrawal represents a setback in its efforts to position itself as a leader in AI governance and innovation on the continent. A revised policy is expected, though no official timeline has been announced.
Related:
- AI Policy Draft Unveiled In South Africa To Establish Institutions And Drive Incentives
- South Africa Opens Draft AI Policy for Public Comment
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