As generative AI adoption accelerates in South Africa, security technologists face mounting challenges—from data privacy compliance to adversarial threats. Here’s what businesses must prioritise to protect systems, data, and reputations.

GenAI and the regulatory landscape: navigating POPIA

Security technologists must ensure that GenAI adoption aligns with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). This includes preventing the input of sensitive customer or internal data into AI models—an act that could trigger non-compliance and regulatory penalties.

A report by Webber Wentzel emphasises the importance of strong data governance frameworks to ensure legal compliance, particularly when GenAI tools process personal information.

Securing data integrity and preventing bias

The quality and security of data fed into GenAI models directly affect the reliability of outputs. Poor data practices can lead to biased or harmful content, posing reputational and operational risks.

To address these concerns, organisations must safeguard sensitive data from leaks and unauthorised access while adhering to local and international privacy regulations. The SANS Institute warns that GenAI systems are susceptible to breaches and manipulation through adversarial prompts—malicious inputs designed to trick AI into producing misleading or harmful results.

Expanding attack surfaces and financial risks

The use of GenAI introduces new vulnerabilities, increasing an organisation’s overall attack surface. IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report highlights that South African businesses face an average breach cost of R53.10 million—often driven by compromised credentials.

AI-powered security tools have been shown to reduce breach costs significantly, saving businesses up to R19 million. To capitalise on this, organisations must adopt an end-to-end AI security strategy that includes threat modelling, penetration testing, red teaming, and real-time security monitoring.

Embedding governance and compliance into AI workflows

Establishing clear governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) policies is critical. These frameworks should define approved AI use cases, implement risk assessments, and ensure alignment with South African data protection laws.

Maintaining documentation of AI activities will help organisations prepare for audits and demonstrate compliance when needed.

Using GenAI safely: Practical business measures

Businesses must set clear internal guidelines on GenAI use. Governance policies should limit sensitive data input, define validation processes for outputs, and outline employee responsibilities.

Robust data governance—through anonymisation, access controls, and data loss prevention (DLP) tools—is essential. A middleware layer can also enhance security by filtering authorised data for AI consumption, ensuring alignment with organisational policies.

To mitigate misinformation, all GenAI outputs should undergo human validation. Security audits, real-time monitoring tools, and continuous vulnerability assessments should be embedded into the AI development lifecycle.

Data sovereignty and on-premise solutions

To maintain data sovereignty and comply with POPIA, South African businesses should consider locally hosted or on-premise GenAI models.

Webber Wentzel stresses that data localisation is key to protecting corporate and personal data in the GenAI era, helping reduce exposure to international data privacy risks.

Employee awareness and real-time monitoring

Cybersecurity awareness training is essential to help employees understand safe AI usage. Real-time monitoring tools—such as SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) systems—can help detect anomalies and respond to threats.

According to ENSAfrica, AI can play a crucial role in cybersecurity by identifying malicious patterns and alerting security teams early. This is especially critical in sectors like finance, which experienced R73.1 million in data breach costs in 2023.

What to expect from a GenAI vendor

Vendors play a crucial role in GenAI security. Organisations should partner with providers that:

• • Ensure data localisation within South Africa
  • Offer end-to-end encryption, MFA, and RBAC
  • Maintain transparency in model training, data retention, and auditing
  • Align with recognised frameworks like POPIA, ISO 27001, and NIST

Vendors must also enforce ethical AI use policies to prevent misuse, such as generating biased outputs or disinformation. Ongoing support, security patches, and regular updates should be part of any vendor agreement.

Responsible GenAI adoption starts with security

Just as cloud misconfigurations can expose sensitive data, GenAI introduces similar risks. By enforcing robust AI governance, complying with POPIA, and selecting trustworthy vendors, South African organisations can embrace GenAI’s benefits without compromising on security or compliance. Responsible AI adoption will be key to maintaining trust, resilience, and long-term success in a fast-evolving digital economy.