We have updated our database of AI tools in government. We use the catalogue to find examples of use cases Ramaphosa mentioned at the Google Cloud summit.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping international cooperation, making it conceivable that artificial intelligence could be treated as a matter of social policy, Prof Willem Fourie told delegates at an international sustainability conference in Bonn. His input explored the governance imperatives that emerge as AI becomes embedded in public and economic life.

Dr Makone reflects on the massive potentials and risks of AI at the research programme 'AI Transitions in a Global Context'.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Stellenbosch University’s Policy Innovation Lab has joined the Global Network of Internet & Society Centers ...

Stellenbosch University's Policy Innovation Lab and the TUM Think Tank have handed over a landmark report on the G20's digital agenda to South African government partners. The report traces how four consecutive Global South presidencies shaped global digital policy across digital transformation, digital public infrastructure and artificial intelligence.

Stellenbosch University’s Policy Innovation Lab led the development of the FemAI Policy Playbook, launched as South Africa confronts gender-based violence as a newly declared national disaster. The Playbook sets out how AI can improve the implementation of South Africa's extensive policy framework aimed at ending gender-based violence.

Find out about the latest update to our Catalogue of AI tools used by governments worldwide.

The recent LMU–SU workshop on interdisciplinarity laid the foundation for translation the institutions' formal partnership into substantive collaboration. Scholars from both institutions compared approaches to interdisciplinary teaching and the role of AI, highlighting clear alignment and identifying opportunities for joint programme development and future research cooperation.

Over the past four years, the G20 has developed an increasingly coherent digital governance framework through policy innovation in digital transformation, Digital Public Infrastructure and Artificial Intelligence. A synthesis by the Policy Innovation Lab, TUM Think Tank and Harvard’s Global Network analyses over 200 G20 documents, with final reports to be released in late 2025.

Stellenbosch University’s Policy Innovation Lab hosted a workshop with Google and the Presidency of South Africa to explore how AI can transform policymaking. The workshop focused on practical, human-centred innovation to support better decisions, more effective policymaking, and ultimately significant improvements to citizens' lives.

The FemAI webinar, co-hosted by the Policy Innovation Lab, brought together voices from law, policy and technology to explore how AI impacts women and why women must shape it. The session called for more inclusive, transparent and accountable AI across Africa.

The Western Cape government invited the Lab to participate in a academic consultation on their Digital Transformation Plan 2.0.

We outline the findings of the most recent update of our database of AI tools used in the public sector. This time our update included a number of South African tools.

The Policy Innovation Lab joined a high-level dialogue on AI and human rights with TUM’s IEAI and LMU, supporting and unpacking the implications of the 'Munich Convention on AI, Data and Human Rights'. From Stellenbosch, the Lab's experts highlighted Global South voices and outlined interoperable standards for human rights-based AI governance.

During a recent series of engagements with the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany, the Policy Innovation Lab presented at a workshop hosted by the TUM Think Tank and engaged in mutual learning on policy with and for AI.

James Haw recently represented the Policy Innovation Lab at a FARI-hosted workshop in Brussels, sharing lessons on AI in government and reflecting on the global need for people-centred, adaptive, and collaborative AI governance frameworks.

Tino Muzondidya, Master’s student and Research Assistant at the Policy Innovation Lab, recently volunteered at Deep Learning IndabaX South Africa, deepening his expertise in ethical AI and data science while actively contributing to Africa’s dynamic machine learning community.

Lessons from a civic tech review of our citizen-generated data tool reveal the ethical, financial, and design trade-offs in deploying AI for policymaking. Our WhatsApp chatbot captures feedback to inform smarter, more responsive governance in South Africa.

Through a series of webinars, the Policy Innovation Lab recently trained government officials, policymakers, academics, and civil society leaders in the responsible use of AI. The sessions equipped participants to navigate the ethical, technical, and policy challenges related to the use of AI in the public sector.

Bill Gates recently outlined the Gates Foundation’s priorities for the next two decades. In South Africa, the Policy Innovation Lab, a Foundation grantee, is applying AI to strengthen policymaking. This work helps governments respond more effectively to complex challenges, ultimately supporting more people on a path to opportunity and prosperity.

Join us for a free, four-part webinar series on AI in government. From 2-5 June, explore AI basics, policy trends, ethics and real-world applications designed for policymakers and public sector professionals.

The Policy Innovation Lab recently got South Africa policymakers together to test our new platform which hosts a number of LLM-based tools for supporting policymaking.

In this opinion piece, published by News24, Prof. Willem Fourie explains artificial general intelligence (AGI), outlines its capability levels, and provides thoughts on its meaning for society as AGI becomes a concrete reality.