Activate SA will showcase the best of regional AI innovation and help attract investment.
Artificial intelligence offers huge benefits, but its growing influence raises serious concerns about employment and human thinking. Picture: iStock
Cape Town will host the launch of Activate SA, a new programme under the Western Cape Artificial Intelligence (AI) Cluster, aimed at promoting responsible artificial intelligence in government, business and society.
The South African AI Association announced the initiative on 17 August 2026, saying it is intended to strengthen the province’s AI ecosystem and ensure compliance with governance and policy frameworks.
AI summit
The first Activate SA AI Summit is scheduled for 25 August at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).
The summit is being held in partnership with the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT) and will focus on issues including AI policy, governance, infrastructure investment and sovereign AI.
Global AI adoption
Dr Nick Bradshaw, chair of the association, said the summit will serve as the annual meeting of the newly created Western Cape AI Cluster (WCAIC).
“We see the USA, China, Europe and the Middle East already spending heavily on AI as they gear up business, citizens and society to embrace the AI opportunity. Activate SA will showcase the best of regional AI innovation and help attract investment,” Bradshaw said.
The WCAIC has been set up as a multi‑stakeholder platform to coordinate objectives across government, business and civil society. Key themes include citizen‑driven AI solutions and sovereign AI – the ability of nations and provinces to develop and govern AI systems independently.
“We want to find the brightest minds solving the hardest problems and match them to early‑stage support, capital and AI compute services. Our aim is to showcase new AI entrepreneurs, infrastructure innovations and models that benefit everyone, not just a few,” Bradshaw added.
SA draft AI policy
The summit comes after the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) in May delivered a blunt account of why South Africa’s Draft National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy was withdrawn.
Communications Minister Solly Malatsi pulled the policy after AI hallucinations fabricated fictitious references, including academic citations, journals and authors that simply don’t exist.
Full reset
Malatsi declared that only a full reset could protect the integrity of such a critical policy area.
The draft policy released for public comment on 10 April 2026 was ambitious, proposing new oversight bodies, including a National AI Commission and a Road Accident Fund‑style AI Insurance Superfund to compensate citizens harmed by AI.
The fallout has been serious. Two officials have been placed on precautionary suspension, with investigations nearing completion.
