President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead a high-level, multi-stakeholder South African delegation to Silicon Valley in the United States next week, as the country seeks to strengthen its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, attract investment and position itself to participate meaningfully in the rapidly evolving global technology landscape.
The working visit to California, scheduled for 15 to 21 November 2026, will bring together representatives from government, academia, business, research institutions, technical experts and university students to engage with leading technology companies, investors, researchers and AI specialists.
The visit forms part of South Africa’s efforts to understand developments at the forefront of artificial intelligence and draw on international experience to inform the country's approach to the development, regulation and adoption of the technology.
“The visit will provide an opportunity to learn from countries and institutions at the forefront of AI development, understand the associated risks and challenges, and consider how South Africa can develop an enabling policy, regulatory and skills environment to support responsible AI adoption,” Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.
Magwenya was briefing the media at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Thursday.
A key highlight will be the Semafor: Silicon Valley and the World engagement on 16 November, which will convene leaders and experts to discuss technological developments and the evolving global AI landscape.
The programme will include engagements with leading technology companies, investors, researchers and academics, alongside technology demonstrations and knowledge exchanges covering frontier AI, robotics, data infrastructure, cloud computing and digital innovation.
These engagements are expected to provide insights into how emerging technologies are being developed and deployed, as well as the investment, infrastructure and skills requirements needed to support a competitive digital economy.
Five days of engagements
The main programme of engagements will run from 16 to 20 November, taking the delegation to several locations across Silicon Valley.
Following the Semafor engagement, the delegation will visit Stanford University on 17 November for engagements with venture capital investors and AI faculty. The programme includes a Presidential fireside chat and a visit to a robotics laboratory, with discussions focusing on the journey from research to commercial AI applications and how venture capital supports innovation.
On 18 November, the delegation will be in San Jose for a workshop titled “South Africa and the Future of AI”. The workshop will focus on infrastructure, the application of AI in government, AI safety and the future of work, while exploring what is required to build an African AI economy.
The programme continues on 19 November in Mountain View, with visits to Alphabet and Google, as well as Cisco. These engagements will explore the application of AI in digital commerce, small business and government.
On 20 November, the delegation will visit Palo Alto Networks and the Microsoft Experiential Centre in Santa Clara. The focus will be on cyber resilience and digital sovereignty in the AI era.
Building an African AI economy
A central focus of the visit will be the South Africa AI Opportunity gathering, under the theme: “Building the African AI Economy: Infrastructure, Investment and Innovation”.
The engagement will examine the infrastructure and investment required to support AI development and adoption, including data centres, computing capacity and reliable energy supply.
The scale of global investment in the sector highlights the importance of these discussions. According to the Presidency, leading hyperscalers are planning approximately US$650 billion in AI capital expenditure in 2026, while venture capital investment in AI reached US$259 billion in 2025, with three-quarters of this investment taking place in the United States.
Against this backdrop, the delegation will engage investors, asset managers and development finance institutions to explore how digital infrastructure projects are financed, how investment risks are shared and what makes countries attractive destinations for investment.
The discussions will also examine the energy requirements of AI data centres, including how the infrastructure needed to power them can be financed and developed.
South Africa will use the engagements to explore opportunities to attract investment into its digital infrastructure and strengthen its position as a competitive AI hub on the African continent.
The visit will also provide an opportunity to showcase the country's reform programme, including Operation Vulindlela, as well as its digital economy, research and innovation ecosystem.
Exploring AI's impact on government and the economy
Beyond the technology and investment opportunities, the programme will consider how AI can be applied across different sectors of the economy and government.
Potential areas of application include health, education, criminal justice, public administration and public procurement, where AI could support productivity and improve public service delivery.
The delegation will also examine the implications of AI for law enforcement and public safety, as well as its impact on businesses, the labour market and the future of work.
The programme includes dedicated engagements on higher education and skills, with students and academics expected to engage with leading universities on AI research. It will also connect small and medium-sized enterprises, start-up founders and technical specialists with accelerators and the wider innovation ecosystem.
A further focus will be on strengthening scientific research and technological capabilities through engagements between South African officials, researchers and science entity leaders and leading research institutions.
Advancing cooperation
The programme will be delivered through eight tracks, covering high-level engagements, business, trade and investment, financing digital infrastructure, energy and electricity, higher education and skills, small business and innovation, science, technology and research, as well as legal and governance matters.
The tracks will bring together relevant stakeholders to explore opportunities for cooperation, knowledge exchange, investment and skills development.
The delegation will include Ministers responsible for Finance; International Relations and Cooperation; Science, Technology and Innovation; Trade, Industry and Competition; Communications and Digital Technologies; Electricity and Energy; Small Business Development; and the Presidency.
They will be supported by senior government officials, business leaders, start-up founders, small and medium-sized enterprises, university students and academics, researchers, scientists, and legal and regulatory experts.
Balancing innovation with digital sovereignty
While seeking to harness the opportunities presented by AI, South Africa will also consider how to safeguard its digital sovereignty, policy autonomy and data protection.
The engagements on AI governance will provide an opportunity to examine different approaches to regulation, responsible AI frameworks and the relationship between governments, technology companies and international experts.
The objective is to ensure that South Africa develops an enabling environment for AI adoption while retaining the ability to make decisions in its national interest and protect its data and policy priorities.
“South Africa seeks to harness the transformative potential of AI while safeguarding digital sovereignty, policy autonomy, data protection and responsible AI governance, ensuring that technological advancement contributes meaningfully to inclusive economic growth and development,” Magwenya explained.
The visit is expected to provide insights into South Africa's potential role in the global AI value chain, from research and innovation to infrastructure development, investment and the application of AI across the public and private sectors.
It will also help inform the policy, regulatory, energy and skills considerations required to support responsible AI adoption and ensure that the country is better positioned to participate in the global digital economy. – SAnews.gov.za
