Old Mutual’s CTO Dhesen Ramsamy highlights the importance of robust data management, clear regulations, and infrastructure development to accelerate responsible AI adoption in South Africa amid evolving national policies.
Dhesen Ramsamy, Old Mutual’s group chief technology and data officer, will set out his views on the relationship between data stewardship and responsible artificial intelligence when he speaks at the ITWeb AI Summit on 22 April at The Forum in Bryanston. According to ITWeb, Ramsamy will argue that establishing robust data practices is the essential first step if organisations are to harness the benefits of AI while avoiding systemic risk. [2]
Ramsamy will emphasise the technical building blocks he believes underwrite trustworthy AI. “Without proper data management (quality standards, lineage tracking, bias detection), AI initiatives fail regardless of model sophistication. South Africa’s National Data and Cloud Policy (June 2024) emphasises data sovereignty and localisation. In practice, many organisations discover their AI readiness depends on first addressing data governance for regulatory compliance. The regulatory imperative often drives the necessary foundation,” he told ITWeb ahead of the summit. [2][3]
He places the national policy landscape at the centre of the discussion, saying governance must reconcile three objectives: respecting legal sovereignty, enabling economic capture of data value and fostering innovation. Government releases show the National Data and Cloud Policy, published at the end of May 2024, was designed to boost public service delivery, support a nascent data economy and encourage cloud adoption while aligning existing laws and regulations. Ramsamy contends frameworks should permit legitimate use while safeguarding citizens and national interests. [3][5]
Ramsamy also draws attention to practical impediments beyond regulation. “Some reports indicate that only a small percentage of African AI talent currently has access to the computational power required for innovation,” he said, noting that although South Africa has a relatively high concentration of data centres on the continent, Africa’s share of global AI-ready compute remains limited. He cites infrastructure bottlenecks and a shortfall of skilled practitioners as barriers that threaten to leave many organisations on the consumption, rather than creation, side of AI capability. [2][7]
On the regulatory front, Ramsamy warns that firms are implementing AI systems faster than lawmakers can set sector-specific rules. “Business adoption outpaces regulation. Some institutions may deploy autonomous agents for high-stakes decisions (trading, customer service) without sector-specific accountability standards. Financial services require algorithmic explainability, audit trails and human oversight standards. The current vacuum creates risk as deployment accelerates. We need sector-specific frameworks with practical enforcement mechanisms,” he said, arguing that legal instruments alone will not suffice unless accompanied by investment in skills, compute and technology transfer. [2]
Ramsamy will use his summit appearance to push for a two-track response: policymakers must finalise proportionate, enforceable safeguards while industry and investors back the infrastructure and training programmes that will permit local organisations to build, not merely buy, AI capability. ITWeb says his session will highlight how sovereignty and governance can be harnessed to enable innovation rather than stifle it; registration details are available from the conference organisers. [2][6]
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Inspired by headline at: [1]
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Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article was published on 20 February 2026, which is within a reasonable timeframe for event announcements. However, the event is scheduled for 22 April 2026, leaving a gap of over two months. The National Data and Cloud Policy mentioned was released in June 2024, which is over a year prior to the article’s publication. This suggests that some of the information may be recycled from earlier sources. Additionally, the article references a previous ITWeb article from 2024, indicating that some content may have been repurposed. The presence of multiple citations from the same source raises concerns about the originality of the content.
Quotes check
Score:
6
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from Dhesen Ramsamy. However, these quotes are sourced from the same ITWeb article published in 2024, which raises concerns about the originality and freshness of the content. The repetition of the same quotes without new attribution or context suggests potential reuse of material.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
ITWeb is a reputable South African technology news outlet. However, the article relies heavily on a single source, which may limit the diversity and independence of the information presented. The heavy reliance on a single source raises concerns about the independence and diversity of the information presented.
Plausibility check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims made in the article are plausible and align with known information about data governance and AI adoption challenges. However, the lack of independent verification and the recycling of quotes from previous articles raise questions about the novelty and originality of the content.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article raises several concerns regarding freshness, originality, and source independence. The recycling of quotes from previous articles and the heavy reliance on a single source suggest that the content may not be entirely original or independently verified. These issues undermine the credibility and reliability of the article.
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