Cape Town Hosts G20 AI Task Force as South Africa Pushes for Global AI Governance

South Africa’s Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies,  Solly Malatsi, officially opened the meeting of the G20 Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance and Sustainable Development at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The Task Force is a key initiative of South Africa’s G20 Presidency, placing AI at the centre of global efforts to drive innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable growth.

In his opening remarks, Minister Malatsi underscored AI’s role as “a profound transformative force” shaping economies, societies, and governance worldwide. He stressed that while AI creates opportunities in healthcare, agriculture, education, and public service delivery, it also raises pressing challenges around bias, inequality, data privacy, and misinformation.

“Innovation without ethical guardrails can deepen inequality, amplify bias and erode trust,” Malatsi said, calling for stronger governance frameworks and international cooperation.”

-Solly Malatsi, Minister,  Communications and Digital Technologies, South Africa 

The minister highlighted several priorities of the Task Force, including:

• Data governance as the foundation of trustworthy and inclusive AI.

• AI in public services to improve efficiency and responsiveness while safeguarding human rights and accountability.

• International research collaboration to expand access to datasets, open science, and computing infrastructure.

• Safeguarding information integrity by addressing deepfakes and misinformation, and promoting digital literacy.

• Multilingual and multicultural representation in AI systems to reflect global diversity.

• AI for Africa Initiative, focusing on industrialisation, women’s empowerment, local talent development, and infrastructure investment aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Malatsi also announced the Technology Policy Assistance Facility, launched in partnership with UNESCO, to help countries shape AI policies rooted in human rights and the public interest.

The minister noted that AI must be considered alongside the broader challenge of the global digital divide, with nearly 2.9 billion people still offline. Bridging connectivity and affordability gaps, he said, is essential to ensuring that AI becomes a true catalyst for inclusive development.

South Africa will continue advancing this agenda by hosting the AI for Good Impact Africa Summit in Johannesburg on 31 October, bringing together governments, researchers, and innovators to strengthen Africa’s AI ecosystem and global voice.

“Our goal is clear: to ensure that Artificial Intelligence is a force for good, driving equitable growth, deepening innovation and strengthening the bond between technology and humanity.”

–Solly Malatsi, Minister,  Communications and Digital Technologies, South Africa