Benjamin Rosman, founding director of the Wits University Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (Mind) Institute, has been recognized by Time magazine as one of the “100 Most Influential Thinkers in AI” for 2025. Rosman, who is also a professor of computer science and applied mathematics, is being celebrated for his work in building Africa’s AI community and his firm belief that the continent can be a global leader in AI development.
Read: Bandwidth Blog & Smile 90.4FM Tech Tuesday: Smart shopping trolleys!
In an interview with TechCentral, Rosman challenged the idea that Africa’s contribution to AI should be limited to applications or data. “It is not clear that the right thing to do is to take someone else’s technology [from overseas],” he said. “In many cases, we want it built to purpose from the ground up.” He also highlighted the economic and geopolitical risks of relying too heavily on foreign technology.
Rosman founded the Mind Institute to create a central hub for AI research in Africa. The institute brings together a diverse group of experts, including computer scientists, neuroscientists, philosophers, and artists, to explore the many facets of intelligence. This unique, multidisciplinary approach is designed to foster “radically new ideas” and solve problems in innovative ways.
The Mind Institute recently received a $1 million grant from Google to expand its research capabilities and add more academics and projects. Rosman believes this funding will help the institute reach a critical mass, enabling it to produce groundbreaking work.
One of the institute’s key priorities is to create AI technologies better suited to the African context. An example of this is Lelapa AI, a company Rosman co-founded that is building large language models (LLMs) for indigenous African languages. The Mind Institute is also working to increase its engagement with industry and the public through initiatives like an upcoming seminar series on AI and an AI literacy program. According to Rosman, fostering entrepreneurship around this technology is crucial to addressing the unique challenges facing the country.
