Over the past year, organisations across every industry have accelerated their adoption of AI, particularly generative AI and autonomous agents. Many are now embedding AI into customer interactions, decision-making and operational processes. However, governance, security and operational controls have not evolved at the same pace.
This is according to Lunga Zonke, CTO at Huawei Cloud Sub-Saharan Africa. He will present a session titled: “From AI hype to AI accountability: Securing what we can no longer control blindly” at the ITWeb Security Summit 2026 in Johannesburg. The summit takes place on 2 and 3 June at the Sandton Convention Centre.
ITWeb Security Summit 2026
To learn more about defending organisations against today’s evolving cyber threats, register for ITWeb Security Summit 2026 in Cape Town or ITWeb Security Summit 2026 in Johannesburg, where global and local experts will unpack the latest security trends and solutions.
Zonke will explore how AI has evolved from a technology innovation into a business, risk and trust imperative. He will also share Huawei Cloud’s perspectives on the challenges organisations face when securing AI systems at scale.
Drawing on the company’s experience across cloud, data and AI environments, he will examine how organisations can move from experimentation to more accountable production deployments.
“The session will highlight Huawei Cloud’s approach to building trusted AI platforms through secure cloud infrastructure, unified data and AI services, intelligent observability and integrated security controls,” Zonke says.
“The conversation has shifted from asking, ‘What can AI do?’ to asking, ‘How do we control, secure and account for AI systems at scale?’” he continues. “Organisations are moving beyond proof-of-concept phases. They must now address the practical realities of production deployment in regulated and high-stakes environments.”
Delegates can expect practical insights into balancing AI innovation with governance, resilience and accountability. This includes understanding what data enters AI systems and how it is protected. It also means ensuring AI outcomes are explainable and auditable, monitoring the full AI ecosystem – not just the model – and embedding governance and controls into day-to-day operations.
“Accountability will become the foundation of trust in the AI era,” Zonke says.
Beyond AI, Zonke believes several factors will drive technology adoption across Africa. “As governments, financial institutions, telecommunications providers and enterprises accelerate digital transformation, cyber security is increasingly becoming a board-level priority," he says. "The focus is shifting from compliance-driven security to resilience-driven security.”
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