Benjamin Rosman
About Benjamin Rosman
Benjamin Rosman is a Professor in the School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, where he runs the Robotics, Autonomous Intelligence and Learning (RAIL) Laboratory. In 2024, he became the founding Director of the Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand, focused on the fundamental science of intelligence in machines, humans, and animals.
He is also a founder of the Deep Learning Indaba machine learning summer school, with a focus on strengthening African machine learning, and Lelapa AI, building AI for Africans by Africans.
In 2025, he was made a Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, in Learning in Machines and Brains. He was named one of the TIME 100 Most Influential People in AI in 2025, was made a National Geographic Explorer in 2024, and was a 2017 recipient of a Google Faculty Research Award in machine learning. In 2026, he was appointed as the Chair of the National Artificial Intelligence Policy Expert Review Panel of South Africa.
Speaking Topics
Benjamin Rosman speaks with authority across the following areas:
- Machine Learning and Robotics
- Autonomous Intelligence and Learning
- AI Policy and Governance
- Building AI for Africa
- The Science of Intelligence in Machines, Humans, and Animals
Credentials and Affiliations
Professor, School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, University of the Witwatersrand
Head, Robotics, Autonomous Intelligence and Learning (RAIL) Laboratory
Founding Director, Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute (2024 – Present)
Founder, Deep Learning Indaba
Founder, Lelapa AI
Fellow, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Learning in Machines and Brains (2025)
TIME 100 Most Influential People in AI (2025)
National Geographic Explorer (2024)
Google Faculty Research Award in Machine Learning (2017)
Chair, National Artificial Intelligence Policy Expert Review Panel of South Africa (2026 – Present)
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