Download the app
← Latest news

South Africa shelves AI policy after fake citations appear in draft

Technology
Published on 27 April 2026
South Africa shelves AI policy after fake citations appear in draft

The draft reportedly cited sources that never existed

South Africa has withdrawn its initial national AI policy after reviewers found fictitious citations embedded in the draft, reportedly linked to AI-generated content. Minister Solly Malatsi said the policy’s authenticity is in question and emphasized that human oversight must guide AI deployment. Those responsible for the discrepancies may face sanctions as the government resets its approach.

  • South Africa shelved its first national AI policy draft
  • Fake or non-existent citations were found in the document
  • Authorities suspect AI tools may have produced the false sources
  • Officials may face sanctions without proper human oversight
Read the full story at The Economic Times

This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on The Economic TimesThe Economic Times

The full experience is on mobile.

Swipe through stories, personalise your feed, and save articles for later — all on the app.