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

  • Gates Foundation visit to Stellenbosch highlights catalytic funding and South-South learning in action

    A Gates Foundation visit to Stellenbosch highlights how catalytic funding is driving investment, advancing digital public infrastructure, and enabling AI for policymaking. The work supports South-South learning and builds scalable tools and institutional capacity across African governments.

  • Goalkeepers South Africa convene in Stellenbosch to shape the year ahead

    Goalkeepers South Africa met in Stellenbosch to reflect, share progress, and shape a more responsive 2026 programme. Discussions highlighted collaboration, entrepreneurship challenges, wellbeing, and sustainability, while reinforcing peer learning, flexible participation and stronger support for projects and partnerships.

  • Policy Innovation Lab and AI Safety South Africa co-host AI safety and cooperative AI workshop

    A workshop at Stellenbosch University brought together researchers to strengthen South Africa’s role in AI safety. Discussions covered cooperative AI, governance, and alignment, highlighting local research, international collaboration, and efforts to make advanced AI systems safer, auditable and contextually relevant.

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

  • The evolution of the G20 digital agenda

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

  • Building digital public infrastructure for cities and communities

  • Strengthening policy advisory systems as a core enabler for the G20 anti-corruption agenda

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