Shaping an interdisciplinary AI ecosystem to drive local and global innovation: an interview with Benjamin Rosman

Benjamin Rosman is a Professor in the School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), in Johannesburg (South Africa), where he runs the Robotics, Autonomous Intelligence and Learning (RAIL) Laboratory. Since November 2024, he is also the founding Director of the Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute at Wits, focused on the fundamental science of intelligence in machines, humans, and animals. Dr. Rosman is a leading voice in artificial intelligence (AI) research and has received prestigious awards for his contributions to advancing AI in Africa and beyond. In August 2025, he was named in TIME’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in AI. In this Q&A, we discussed his career journey, the role of biology in the development of robotics and AI, and his actions to establish Africa as a global leader in foundational AI research.