South Africa’s Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, opened the G20 Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance and Sustainable Development on Monday, urging global leaders to ensure AI serves as a tool for inclusive progress.
The meeting, held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, is a flagship initiative of South Africa’s G20 presidency. Malatsi described AI as “a profound transformative force” shaping economies, societies, and governance worldwide.
While he emphasized AI’s potential to advance healthcare, agriculture, education, and public services, Malatsi cautioned that without strong oversight it could “deepen inequality, amplify bias and erode trust.” He called for international cooperation and governance frameworks to ensure AI benefits humanity.
The minister outlined several priorities for the Task Force:
- Establishing data governance as the foundation for trustworthy and inclusive AI.
- Expanding AI use in public services while protecting human rights and accountability.
- Promoting international research collaboration through open data and shared infrastructure.
- Addressing deepfakes and misinformation, and strengthening digital literacy.
- Ensuring multilingual and multicultural representation in AI systems.
- Advancing the AI for Africa Initiative, which emphasizes industrialization, women’s empowerment, local talent development, and investment aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Malatsi also announced the launch of the Technology Policy Assistance Facility, a partnership with UNESCO to help countries design AI policies grounded in human rights and the public interest.
He noted that AI cannot be separated from the wider challenge of the digital divide, with nearly 2.9 billion people still offline. Bridging connectivity and affordability gaps, he said, is essential to making AI a driver of inclusive development.
South Africa will continue to push this agenda at the AI for Good Impact Africa Summit in Johannesburg on Oct. 31, which will bring together governments, researchers, and innovators to strengthen Africa’s AI ecosystem and its role on the global stage.
“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,” Malatsi said.
