The short version

South African companies are being warned to put AI governance in place before they scale up AI use. Experts say missing governance could lead to security breaches and compliance failures.

What happened

Dr Cordell Robinson, CEO of Brownstone Consulting, told ITWeb that South African firms must adopt proactive AI governance or risk security and compliance problems.

He compared using AI without governance to driving a car without brakes and said users are already pulling together sensitive data and business IP with AI tools.

It is critical that organisations perform due diligence before adopting AI

Dr Cordell Robinson

The background

Robinson said South African markets are still reacting to AI rather than planning ahead, and that governance does not slow adoption but makes it safer.

He will speak at the ITWeb Governance, Risk & Compliance 2026 conference in Bryanston, where the wider issue of AI, changing regulations, cyber security risks and data management is being highlighted.

What it means for owners and operators

Owners must treat AI governance as a board‑level priority, not an after‑thought, to protect the business from data leaks and regulatory fines.

Operators need to train staff on policy controls and network visibility so AI use can be monitored and managed in real time.

Executives should embed due‑diligence checks into any AI procurement process, ensuring that security and compliance are built in from the start.

Our take

Analysis by Infercline · The counter-view

South African executives must embed AI governance now to avoid costly security and compliance failures as adoption speeds up.

What to do in your business tomorrow

  1. Review your current AI projects and add a checklist for security and compliance before any rollout.
  2. Set up a cross‑functional governance panel that meets monthly to oversee AI use and policy enforcement.
  3. Provide basic AI governance training for all staff who interact with AI tools within the next quarter.

Related coverage

Sources

  • itweb.co.za: Power Alliance targets EMEA AI governance opportunity