“You’ve Got 60 Days”: Gent Discusses SA Draft National AI Policy Open for Public Comment

• A South African AI content creator broke down the country's draft national AI policy, which opened for a 60-day public comment period
• The policy covers certain areas, including AI in schools and training AI on local South African languages
• South Africans in the comments were divided between those who felt this was an important step and those who questioned why AI was a priority

TikToker @africantechbro.ai posted a video on 15 March 2026 that most people scrolled past but shouldn't have. He broke down a policy the SA government had been working on for six years. South Africa's draft national AI policy was entering a 60-day public comment window, and he wanted people to understand what it actually means before the window closes. He said:

"Whether you are a student, a developer, or anyone, you can actually tell the government what you think before this becomes an official policy."

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What the SA draft AI policy actually covers

The SA National AI policy is built around five core pillars. The first focuses on building AI skills into schools and universities, with plans for better digital infrastructure and industry partnerships to train South Africans properly. The second sets out safeguards against deepfakes, data misuse, and cybersecurity threats to make sure AI cannot be used to cause harm without consequences.

The third pillar, the government wants AI systems in South Africa to be trained on local data, including South African languages. This, instead of relying on data sets built overseas that carry their own biases. This means AI tools could eventually work in languages like isiZulu, Sesotho and even Khoisan languages rather than defaulting to English only.

On the regulatory side, South Africa decided not to create a single AI regulator. Instead, each sector will develop its own rules within existing frameworks. The government looked at Europe's approach and felt it was too heavy. They looked at India's and felt it was too light. South Africa is going somewhere in the middle.

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Watch the TikTok clip below:

Mzansi is surprised by the SA AI policy

South Africans were divided on the topic TikToker @africantechbro.ai discussed:

@Diiice said:

"Can't fix potholes but looking at AI policies."

@GigiTiks wrote:

"The policy is written for 2024 AI, and by the time we have real issues from AI, it will take two years to update it. The policy needs governance tools that can be triggered in certain cases."

@mixedginja added:

"What the policy wants to do."

@AuthorYuvashnieM joked:

"We can just use AI to get the AI policy and have AI explain it."

@uthi(ni) said:

"I am concerned that the government is not addressing infrastructure, access to information, basic needs, food and shelter as a large part of the country would not benefit from AI."

@Lesego Mabaso asked:

"Will that mean marketing management degrees will shift from traditional to a more digital and information science marketing degree?"

More on AI and tech in South Africa

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"In the name of content": Video of man hanging outside car while driving divides South Africans

• Briefly News recently reported on a gentleman who broke down three free Microsoft AI courses available to any South African with an ID and no degree required.
• SANParks pulled off one of the best April Fools' jokes of the year with a water creature sighting at Orpen using an AI-generated image.
• Prince Kaybee called out scammers after an AI-generated video of him promoting a gambling site started circulating.

Source: Briefly News