South Africa should consider tighter legislation similar to a ground-breaking proposal by Denmark to respond to the challenges of Generative AI by ensuring the protection of individual rights and mitigate AI-enabled social engineering.
This has become even more critical as AI becomes embedded in financial services where assurance and governance are no longer optional, but are now foundational to digital credibility and institutional resilience, says Nevellan Moodley, head of financial services advisory at BDO South Africa.
Denmark in 2025 introduced a ground-breaking proposal to formally recognise individuals’ rights to their own voice, face, and likeness as personal property. This legal first reframes identity as a protectable asset rather than simply a personal attribute, setting a powerful precedent for global digital rights in the age of AI.
“The proposal to recognise an individual’s voice, face, and likeness as personal property marks a global first, reframing identity as a legal asset in the fight against AI-driven manipulation. It highlights growing global urgency around artificial content, biometric risk, and reputational harm. Frameworks like this signal a heightened need for proactive, embedded controls that safeguard digital identity and uphold institutional integrity in AI-augmented environments,” says Moodley.
“In a world where verifiable truth and reality is less objective than arguably ever before, it is clear that a premium needs to be placed on not only protecting the general integrity and authenticity of media, but also on the individual’s right to protect their own identity and reputation. For institutions especially, digital assurance is no longer a back-office function, it is a frontline defence and a strategic imperative.”
In South Africa, digital inclusion is a critical enabler of social progress and economic growth. But as digital ecosystems expand, so does the need for strong controls to protect identity and maintain trust.
For executives and risk leaders, this is no longer a compliance checkbox. In an AI-driven world where identity can be faked, weaponised, or stolen, the ability to manage it has become a core pillar of trust, resilience, and brand protection. The risks are real, immediate, and multidimensional – reputational, financial, and legal.
“There is need for South Africa’s financial sector to partner with specialists and go beyond FSCA and POPIA alignment, by embedding forward-looking assurance frameworks that protect identity, reinforce credibility, and enable confident, compliant growth. This will involve designing digital trust architectures to strengthen resilience in this dynamic environment, ensure regulatory alignment and building trust,” concludes Moodley.