Responsible AI for
transformative policymaking

in South Africa

We advance responsible AI to transform policymaking and drive progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. By working with The Presidency of South Africa and with the support of the Gates Foundation and GIZ we do so through research, capacity building, AI tool development and practical knowledge products.

Latest Industry

NEWS

  • SU Policy Innovation Lab helps equip Parliament for AI

    The Policy Innovation Lab trained more than 200 Members of Parliament on artificial intelligence, strengthening Parliament's capacity to oversee AI in government. The programme spanned technical, ethical and legislative dimensions, and was acknowledged by Deputy Speaker Dr Annelie Lotriet as an example of universities supporting public sector capacity-building.

  • Get to know our team: Thando Ndita, Digital Public Infrastructure Policy Manager

    Our Get to Know the Team series is now a weekly feature, and we’re excited to kick it off by spotlighting Thando Ndita, our Digital Public Infrastructure Manager. She is a human rights researcher, whose work explores digital governance, data rights and social justice, contributing to equitable and impactful digital transformation.

  • How the Policy Innovation Lab is helping increase business investment through AI

    South Africa needs more investment, but policy and regulatory barriers often remain invisible to decision-makers. The Policy Innovation Lab's iBIT chatbot uses AI to help businesses report these obstacles directly, generating evidence that can support more responsive policymaking, targeted reforms and a stronger investment environment.

Our

PROJECTS

Building Africa’s first AI for policy platform

This project aims to enchance South Africa’s policy advice system by integrating AI and digital tools to improve coordination, monitoring and evaluation of policies, linked to the SDGs. It involves identifying policy gaps, supporting institutional adoption of digital solutions, and strengthening government readiness for digital transformation.

Using AI to identify policy barriers to investment

This project supports AI-driven digital transformation in South Africa’s public sector. It prototypes, catalogues and implements fit-for-purpose digital tools, assesses the state of digital transformation in the country, and provides evidence-based recommendations to advance government-wide digital initiatives. The project identifies and tracks priority digital transformation projects and collaborates with provincial, municipal and regional Centres of Government across South Africa and the SADC region to strengthen digital governance in the public sector.

Rethinking policymaking for frontier AI systems

This project examines how policymaking processes must evolve to address the unique challenges posed by advanced AI systems. We lead the AI and public policy working group within Meta’s Open Innovation AI Community, convening global experts to explore regulatory frameworks for frontier technologies. Key outputs include peer-reviewed articles on best practices, toolkits for policy design and actionable recommendations tailored to both South Africa and international contexts.

Supporting digital transformation through the G20

This project supports South Africa’s G20 presidency by advancing the priority of equitable, inclusive and just AI. We have planned dialogues and intend to develop knowledge products to tackle key issues related to AI in the G20. Drawing on global best practices, we also intend to identify strategies and frameworks to help countries adopt AI ethically. Deliverables also include reports, peer-reviewed research and guidelines to for MSMEs and researchers.

Identifying legislative and policy innovation required for digital public infrastructure

This project focuses on developing a centralised AI platform tailored to the needs of South Africa’s public sector, enabling secure and efficient deployment of AI tools for policymaking. We aim to create a unified platform that enhances privacy, data security and usability. The platform will integrate tools for automating policy briefs, summarising policy documents and analysing citizen-generated data, ensuring streamlined and consistent access to advanced AI capabilities.

Identifying and sharing global policy advice good practices

This project investigates the potential of open-source AI platforms to support responsible and impactful policymaking. By examining the scalability, security and ethical implications of open source systems, we aim to develop frameworks for their integration into public sector decision-making.

Developing and scaling AI training

Training and capacity building are central to our mission. This project develops and delivers programmes to equip public policy professionals with the skills to use AI responsibly and effectively in policymaking. Activities include training interventions on AI tools and governance. Key outputs, in addition to training interventions, include training manuals, research on training impacts and a curriculum designed and delivered with partners.

  • Building Africa’s first AI for policy platform

    This project aims to enchance South Africa’s policy advice system by integrating AI and digital tools to improve coordination, monitoring and evaluation of policies, linked to the SDGs. It involves identifying policy gaps, supporting institutional adoption of digital solutions, and strengthening government readiness for digital transformation.

  • Using AI to identify policy barriers to investment

    This project supports AI-driven digital transformation in South Africa’s public sector. It prototypes, catalogues and implements fit-for-purpose digital tools, assesses the state of digital transformation in the country, and provides evidence-based recommendations to advance government-wide digital initiatives. The project identifies and tracks priority digital transformation projects and collaborates with provincial, municipal and regional Centres of Government across South Africa and the SADC region to strengthen digital governance in the public sector.

  • Rethinking policymaking for frontier AI systems

    This project examines how policymaking processes must evolve to address the unique challenges posed by advanced AI systems. We lead the AI and public policy working group within Meta’s Open Innovation AI Community, convening global experts to explore regulatory frameworks for frontier technologies. Key outputs include peer-reviewed articles on best practices, toolkits for policy design and actionable recommendations tailored to both South Africa and international contexts.

  • Supporting digital transformation through the G20

    This project supports South Africa’s G20 presidency by advancing the priority of equitable, inclusive and just AI. We have planned dialogues and intend to develop knowledge products to tackle key issues related to AI in the G20. Drawing on global best practices, we also intend to identify strategies and frameworks to help countries adopt AI ethically. Deliverables also include reports, peer-reviewed research and guidelines to for MSMEs and researchers.

  • Identifying legislative and policy innovation required for digital public infrastructure

    This project focuses on developing a centralised AI platform tailored to the needs of South Africa’s public sector, enabling secure and efficient deployment of AI tools for policymaking. We aim to create a unified platform that enhances privacy, data security and usability. The platform will integrate tools for automating policy briefs, summarising policy documents and analysing citizen-generated data, ensuring streamlined and consistent access to advanced AI capabilities.

  • Identifying and sharing global policy advice good practices

    This project investigates the potential of open-source AI platforms to support responsible and impactful policymaking. By examining the scalability, security and ethical implications of open source systems, we aim to develop frameworks for their integration into public sector decision-making.

  • Developing and scaling AI training

    Training and capacity building are central to our mission. This project develops and delivers programmes to equip public policy professionals with the skills to use AI responsibly and effectively in policymaking. Activities include training interventions on AI tools and governance. Key outputs, in addition to training interventions, include training manuals, research on training impacts and a curriculum designed and delivered with partners.

Latest

PUBLICATIONS

  • Digital Sovereignty in the BRICS Countries

  • Identifying Barriers to Investment: Pilot Results and Policy Outlook

  • The evolution of the G20 digital agenda

  • Policy Playbook to fast-track the implementation of GBV policies using Artificial Intelligence in South Africa

AI has the potential to transform policymaking – in Africa and beyond.

That’s why the Policy Innovation Lab at Stellenbosch University’s School for Data Science and Computational Thinking has built an AI platform for African policymakers.

We filmed this video in the mountains around Stellenbosch to show how AI systems and their impacts are ultimately concrete and tangible. With the beta launch of the platform, selected South African policy entities now have secure access to a suite of tools that simplify how policy is developed, analysed and communicated. The platform allows users to:

  • Summarise complex policy documents in seconds
  • Compare policies across countries or timeframes
  • Track media trends and narrative shifts
  • Generate evidence-based policy briefs instantly