South Africa withdrew its first draft national AI policy after it was found to contain false and non-existent sources in its reference list, which appeared to have been generated using artificial intelligence.

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi said the issue pointed to a failure in verification during drafting.

“The most plausible explanation is that AI-generated citations were included without proper verification. This should not have happened,” he said.

He added that the problem went beyond a technical mistake, stating that it affected the credibility of the draft policy.

The policy had been released for public comment before final approval. It set out plans for South Africa’s approach to artificial intelligence regulation and development.

It proposed new structures, including a National AI Commission, an AI Ethics Board, and an AI Regulatory Authority. It also included measures such as tax incentives, grants, and subsidies aimed at supporting private sector participation.

Malatsi said action would be taken against those involved in preparing the draft. He did not give a timeline for when a revised version would be released.

Erizia Rubyjeana