South Africa has called for stronger global oversight of artificial intelligence (AI), with President Cyril Ramaphosa warning that the rapid development of AI systems must be matched by effective human governance.
Speaking at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India, Ramaphosa said artificial intelligence and related technologies could play an important role in addressing poverty, inequality and underdevelopment if they are developed and used responsibly.
The President was speaking during a session focused on Shaping the Future for Inclusive Growth, where he highlighted both the opportunities and risks associated with rapidly advancing AI technology.
“We should therefore neither fear AI nor approach it recklessly. Our responsibility is to ensure that human governance advances as rapidly as artificial intelligence itself,” President Ramaphosa said on Sunday at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
AI Could Transform Education, Healthcare And Jobs
Ramaphosa said artificial intelligence has the potential to usher in a new era of productivity and human progress, with applications across a wide range of sectors.
These include medicine, education, scientific research, agriculture and economic development.
“It is showing that it has the capability to transform medicine, education, scientific discovery, agriculture, productivity and development. But we must listen carefully to what those who are developing the most powerful AI systems are themselves telling us.
“They are warning about systems capable of advanced cyber operations, assistance in biological weapons development, autonomous action, manipulation, mass surveillance, disruption of employment and, ultimately, systems whose capabilities may become difficult for human beings to control,” he said.
The President's comments come as AI continues to reshape workplaces and industries globally, raising questions about the future of employment, skills development and the need for workers to adapt to new technologies.
South Africa Supports AI Regulation
South Africa supports greater external oversight of companies developing advanced artificial intelligence systems.
Ramaphosa referred to calls from industry leaders, including Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, for AI companies to be subject to formal external checks, audits and government oversight.
“Such oversight is standard practice in other industries whose activities have a significant impact on human safety and well-being, such as aviation, pharmaceuticals, nuclear power and financial institutions.
“We must never reach a situation where technological capability has moved beyond our capacity to understand it, supervise it and control it,” the President said.
South Africa Proposes International AI Evaluation Mechanism
South Africa has proposed that BRICS establish an international mechanism that would independently evaluate artificial intelligence systems from a scientific perspective.
The proposed mechanism would form part of broader efforts to ensure that AI development is accompanied by appropriate safeguards and human oversight.
“This should be backed by meaningful human-control principles, mandatory reporting of serious incidents, progressively stronger safeguards as capability increases, and simultaneous investment in sovereign AI capacity for developing economy countries.
“We support continued scientific cooperation in initiatives such as the BRICS Intelligent Telescope and Data Network and the BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre,” he explained.
Ramaphosa said AI models are becoming increasingly powerful and are rapidly changing almost every aspect of economic and social life.
AI And Technology Development In The Global South
The President also called for greater cooperation between BRICS countries in areas such as healthcare, agriculture, science and technology.
“We must strengthen medical sovereignty, vaccine development, genomic surveillance and diagnostic capabilities for the Global South. We must work together to transform agriculture through innovation.
“Economic and financial cooperation is at the centre of the resilience we seek. South Africa supports a balanced and gradual expansion of the New Development Bank.”
South Africa also welcomed continued discussions around the proposed New Investment Platform and the BRICS Multilateral Guarantees initiative.
Ramaphosa called for greater use of local currencies, stronger cross-border payment systems and increased financial cooperation among BRICS countries.
“BRICS must press ahead with greater use of local currencies, stronger cross-border payment systems and deeper financial interconnectivity. As BRICS enters its third decade, it should be more ambitious.
“Our engagement with Partner Countries should spur deeper cooperation, particularly in public health, education, science and technology, finance and trade,” said the President.
BRICS Marks 20 Years
Ramaphosa said the 20th anniversary of BRICS provides an opportunity for member countries to reaffirm their commitment to deeper cooperation and a more ambitious agenda.
He said this agenda should cover areas including science, technology and innovation, sustainable development and economic transformation.
“We live in a rapidly changing world that contains both risks and opportunities. The achievement of inclusive growth requires that we address persistent global challenges such as poverty and inequality, while responding to the devastating effects of climate change and the rapid advances in artificial intelligence.
“The increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters threaten to reverse hard-won development gains and deepen inequality. Resilience is therefore essential for inclusive growth and human development,” Ramaphosa said.
Reskilling Needed For The Future Of Work
The President also highlighted the importance of preparing workers for changes brought about by the global energy transition and technological development.
He said the transition should prioritise reskilling, protect livelihoods and support the creation of new industries capable of generating quality jobs.
“It is important that markets for critical minerals and transition technologies are built on transparency, and that value chains are diversified and responsible.
“To ensure inclusive growth in Africa and other regions of the world, beneficiation of minerals must take place at source,” the President said.
For South Africa and other developing economies, the growing use of artificial intelligence presents both opportunities for economic growth and challenges for employment and skills development. Greater investment in skills, technology and responsible AI governance will therefore be important as the world of work continues to change.
