Science, Technology and Innovation Deputy Minister Dr Nomalungelo Gina says South Africa is moving forward with plans to establish a new Artificial Intelligence Talent Development and Innovation Centre (AI TDIC).
She was speaking during a meeting with China’s Science and Technology Vice Minister Zhang Guangjun on the sidelines of the 2026 China-Africa Innovation Cooperation and Development Forum.
The project, which is in partnership with the Middle East country, aims to close the country’s digital skills gap and boosting local research capabilities.
Gina says, “I’m pleased to share with you the progress that has been made towards establishing the Artificial Intelligence Talent Development and Innovation Centre in South Africa. As South Africa, we must ensure that we address the digital skills gap. This centre will strengthen our national innovation capabilities and deepen our bilateral cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence, an area in which we look forward to further collaboration.”
Preparatory work for the facility is already underway. As part of the next phase, China’s technical team is scheduled to visit South Africa to conduct a preliminary technical assessment.