This Month In AI
Free Courses, a Policy Turning Point, and What's Changing for South Africa
A round-up of the developments actually worth knowing about this month — from a new national AI policy to real, free ways to build your own AI skills.
The Big Picture
South Africa has a narrow window to become one of Africa’s AI powerhouses — and the clock is already running.
That's the core finding of “Africa's AI Imperative,” a report commissioned by Naspers and Prosus. Success depends on building local capability, expanding infrastructure and skills, and developing AI that reflects African languages and realities — rather than relying entirely on technology built elsewhere.
On the policy side, South Africa's draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy cleared its Socio-Economic Impact Assessment and full Director-General concurrence in February 2026, with Cabinet formally approving it for public comment in March. It's the clearest signal yet that AI is moving from a talking point to an actual national framework.
Free This Month
Real, free ways to build AI skills right now
No catch, no hidden fees — these are genuinely free programmes open to South Africans right now.
DataCamp Tech Skills Scholarship 2026
Fully funded access to 450+ premium courses in AI, data science, Python, SQL, and machine learning. Open to young Africans, students, and career-changers — applications currently open. Note: accounts are revoked after two months of inactivity, so this rewards people who'll actually use it.
DUT x Microsoft Free AI Course
Durban University of Technology, in partnership with Microsoft, offers a free course open to all South Africans regardless of age or background — covering AI fundamentals, generative AI, and responsible AI use.
UJ: Artificial Intelligence in the 4IR
A free, self-paced course from the University of Johannesburg exploring AI's applications and implications for the future of work.
Scholar Africa Scholarship Database
A curated, continuously updated database of AI and machine learning scholarships for African students — 29 currently listed, 17 of them fully funded.
What We're Watching
AI is also raising South Africa's cybersecurity stakes, according to Accenture South Africa — as advanced AI systems become more accessible, organisations of every size need to prepare for threats that can be identified and executed faster than before. Worth keeping in mind as more small businesses adopt AI tools without a dedicated IT team.
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12 chapters on using AI responsibly, building a digital presence, and reaching back to teach what you learn. Free, no email required, and it’s the foundation everything on this site builds from.
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A note on accuracy
We do our best to bring you accurate, current information on AI tools, funding opportunities, and developments relevant to South African communities, schools, and small businesses. Deadlines, eligibility criteria, pricing, and programme details change quickly and are set by the organisations offering them, not by FAIR SA — so please verify directly with the source before applying, purchasing, or making a decision based on anything in this article.
Spot something that’s changed or out of date? Let us know at hello@fairsa.org and we’ll fix it.