Ramaphosa to meet Silicon Valley AI giants as South Africa eyes tech future

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced plans to lead a delegation to Silicon Valley in the United States following the upcoming local government elections to engage with leaders in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector.

After the elections, I will be leading a group of people from government, from universities, young people and all, and business, and will take along some of my comrades as well to the Silicon Valley, just to go and meet those big moguls of artificial intelligence, to get to understand exactly how it functions and how we can utilise it to our own benefit.

The President shared his intentions during a recent engagement, emphasizing the need for South Africa to grasp the mechanics of AI and explore how the technology can be leveraged for national development. The proposed visit aims to foster a deeper understanding of AI’s potential applications across various sectors, including public services and business, as the country seeks to position itself within the global digital economy.