By Johnathan Paoli
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande has urged the country’s universities to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
He warns that while South Africa is not lagging behind, it must move faster to ensure equitable access, ethical safeguards and full integration into teaching and research.
Nzimande outlined government’s vision for embedding AI in higher education and detailed a series of initiatives already underway.
“We’re not ahead of the curve, but we are not late either. From the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, our involvement in AI has been significant, especially in research. Our 2022–2032 Decadal Plan, called for by our 2019 White Paper, identifies digital skills development as a key priority for building a strong digital economy,” Nzimande said.
This follows the University of Cape Town’s recent moves to integrate AI into its academic programmes, which Nzimande said reflected broader progress in the sector.
The department has established the Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research, which is a network of nine universities and 12 research centres that focuses on machine learning, language technologies and other core AI fields.
Nzimande noted in a Newzroom Afrika interview that these projects were being expanded to all 26 public universities.
Partnerships with IBM, the Association of University Vice-Chancellors and the Africa Institute for Mathematical Sciences are driving digital skills training across campuses.
Nzimande highlighted the need to bring every public university on board, adding that AI offered opportunities to strengthen African languages as mediums of science and academia.
On concerns about the potential misuse of AI, Nzimande highlighted South Africa’s participation in Unesco’s global programme on AI ethics.
He stressed that AI must serve “positive human uses and social justice” warning against its weaponisation, as seen in military conflicts.
He also praised cooperation with China through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and other platforms, which aims to build AI capacities in developing countries while addressing ethical considerations.
Nzimande acknowledged disparities between historically advantaged and disadvantaged universities, warning that without targeted intervention, the AI revolution could deepen educational inequality.
“We are supporting the vice-chancellors’ efforts to assess all universities and will introduce additional measures to help historically disadvantaged institutions build capacity in AI research and digital skills,” he said.
The department plans to adapt past initiatives such as the University Capacity Development Programme to target science and technology competencies.
Private sector collaborations with IBM, Huawei and others are being leveraged to ensure equitable access to AI tools, while South Africa’s G20 presidency is being used to push for global commitments that prevent poorer nations from being left behind.
Highlighting the breadth of AI-related work, Nzimande pointed to projects in data analytics and adaptive cognitive systems, cybersecurity research, speech and language technologies, and forensic identification systems using AI to assist in identifying unclaimed bodies in mortuaries by combining DNA testing with advanced data matching.
The department is also finalising a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, informed by the National Advisory Council on Innovation, to identify priority areas for AI development and application.
Nzimande recently attended the Belt and Road Ministers of Science and Technology Conference in China, where AI featured prominently on the agenda.
At the continental level, South Africa is contributing to the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2032, which prioritises AI among its focus areas.
“Artificial intelligence is no longer a peripheral issue, it’s central to economic development, social progress, and scientific advancement. We must ensure that as we build capacity in AI, we do so inclusively, ethically, and with the goal of using technology for human development,” Nzimande said.
With AI poised to reshape education, research and the economy, Nzimande urged South Africa’s higher education sector to act decisively to integrate AI, close existing gaps and prepare the next generation for a rapidly evolving digital world.
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