South Africa Home Affairs suspends officials over AI hallucinations in policy paper

On Thursday, the South African Department of Home Affairs (DHA) announced the suspension of two officials due to the discovery of AI-generated false references in its updated white paper concerning citizenship, immigration, and refugee protection. The Chief Director of the citizenship and immigration unit and the director responsible for the document's creation are among those suspended, with the action taking effect next week. The reference list revealed discrepancies, including fabricated citations. The DHA expressed its embarrassment and intends to enhance its processes with AI verification. Two independent law firms will oversee the disciplinary proceedings and examine all policy documents since November 30, 2022. The DHA asserts that the policy accurately represents the government's stance and was developed collaboratively.