- Businesses that develop AI and ignore their biases are doomed to make life harder for themselves.
- Bias and discrimination will not only foment anger among customers but may also lead to regulatory problems in future.
- This is according to Alkemi Collective CEO Bradly Howland.
There is no slowing down the forward march of AI. The technology has wormed its way into every aspect of life, from your chat platforms to games.
While most customer facing AI can be ignored by users who don’t wish to engage with it, businesses are using the technology to automate certain tasks and jobs. From a business operator’s point of view, handing off previously laborious tasks to a machine and saving money is an easy choice.
But chief executive officer of public relations consultancy Alkemi Collective, Bradly Howland, warns that ethics needs to be a core part of AI development and implementation in South Africa.
“AI is now integrated across customer service, fraud detection, recruitment, content creation, and decision support systems. Yet the governance frameworks around how these tools are designed, trained, and deployed remain worryingly thin,” he says. “Companies are moving faster than their risk controls, which is a red flag for any board.”
The most worrying thing is that bias already seems to exist even without deep AI implementation. Last year a number of medical schemes were found to be unfairly discriminating against black healthcare providers through fraud detection. These measures seemed to unfairly discriminate against black providers compared to white.
If this bias already exists, if it is implemented, even unknowingly into AI system, real lives could be in danger.
“These are not theoretical risks. When an algorithm misclassifies, the consequences are felt by real people and the financial and reputational fallout lands with the organisation, not the software provider,” Howland adds. “You cannot outsource accountability to a machine.”
There is also a major risk to a company’s reputation if it is found to be biased or discriminatory. Furthermore, when legislation catches up with the technology, businesses may find themselves out of step with legal and regulatory requirements.
As such, Howland outlines four areas of governance that should guide AI development locally.
- Transparency – AI-generated or AI-assisted outputs should be clearly disclosed to internal and external stakeholders. Transparent communication reduces reputational risk and aligns with emerging global standards.
- Data and bias auditing – AI systems must be trained and tested on data that reflects South Africa’s racial, linguistic, and geographic diversity. Regular audits should be mandatory to ensure models do not reinforce historical inequalities or embed unfair decision-making.
- Human oversight – Human decision makers must remain ultimately accountable. All AI-supported actions, from content production to risk scoring, should be vetted for accuracy, cultural alignment, and compliance with ethical and legal frameworks.
- Skills development – Teams need deeper fluency in both the capabilities and the limitations of AI. Without upskilling, organisations risk misusing tools, misunderstanding outputs, and missing early warning signs of algorithmic failure.
“AI can transform how businesses operate, but only the organisations that prioritise governance, clarity and trust will see sustainable value,” says Howland. “At Alkemi, we work with clients to interpret and oversee their AI use, shape ethical communication frameworks, and guide responsible adoption. Our focus is on helping businesses set the right guardrails and communicate transparently so that stakeholders understand, trust, and support the role AI plays in their operations.”
By being aware of the many pitfalls that can hurt AI development now and in the future, businesses can do more to be ready for when regulations catch up.
It just makes good business sense to be more diverse, equitable and inclusive, especially in the Rainbow Nation.
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