PeopleofSuperintelligence

Lab leader

Babak Hodjat

Babak Hodjat is an AI researcher and lab leader whose work spans natural-language interfaces, distributed AI and evolutionary computation. At Kyushu University, he developed AAOSA, the agent-oriented architecture behind Dejima’s Siri interface, and earned a machine-intelligence PhD in 2003. With Antoine Blondeau, he framed Sentient’s large-scale AI vision in 2007, served as its co-founder and CEO, started an AI-run hedge fund in 2012, and helped build the distributed platform unveiled in 2014. His research includes CoDeepNEAT, an evolutionary method for designing deep neural networks, and in 2025 he discussed Cognizant research on younger consumers’ generative AI use. As of October 2026, he leads Cognizant AI Lab as chief AI officer.

Now at
Cognizant
Works
60
Citations
1,641
h-index
11
Badges

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 18 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1997

    Adaptive agent architecture

    In 1997, he begins publishing work on Adaptive Agent Oriented Software Architecture (AAOSA), the design behind Dejima’s natural-language interface. The system maps speech commands to functions and serves as the natural-language component in original Siri.

  2. 1997–2003

    A doctorate at Kyushu

    He attends Kyushu University from 1997 to 2003 and earns a PhD in machine intelligence.

  3. 2007

    A distributed AI vision

    In 2007, he and Antoine Blondeau explore how to harness worldwide computing to build AI at scale. Sentient Technologies becomes their answer, and Hodjat serves as its CEO and co-founder.

  4. 2012

    An AI-run hedge fund

    In 2012, he begins a venture with Sentient Investment Management and introduces an AI-run hedge fund using evolutionary AI.

  5. 2014

    Sentient’s distributed AI

    By late 2014, Sentient emerges from stealth with a massively distributed AI platform built on evolutionary computation and deep learning. Hodjat is responsible for its core technology.

  6. 2017

    Evolving deep neural networks

    In 2017, he coauthors ‘Evolving Deep Neural Networks,’ which introduces CoDeepNEAT, an automated method for optimizing deep-learning architectures through evolution.

  7. 2025

    Studying consumer AI use

    In January 2025, he discusses Cognizant research on how younger consumers use generative AI to research options, transact and use services.

  8. As of October 2026

    Leading Cognizant AI Lab

    As of October 2026, he is Cognizant’s chief AI officer and leads Cognizant AI Lab, where researchers advance AI and develop capabilities for the company’s offerings.

Career

  1. Since 2020CognizantChief AI Officer
  2. 2018–2020University of Texas at Austin
  3. From 2007Sentient TechnologiesCo-founder and CEO

Education

  1. 2003Kyushu UniversityPhD

From the biography and OpenAlex affiliations (the years of papers that list the organization), so some years are approximate.

Most-cited works

  1. Evolving Deep Neural Networks2018 · Elsevier eBooks · 843 citationsWith Risto Miikkulainen
  2. The Surprising Creativity of Digital Evolution: A Collection of Anecdotes from the Evolutionary Computation and Artificial Life Research Communities2020 · Artificial Life · 180 citationsWith Jeff Clune, Kenneth Stanley, Risto Miikkulainen and Stephanie Forrest
  3. Evolutionary neural AutoML for deep learning2019 · Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference (GECCO) · 122 citationsWith Risto Miikkulainen
  4. From Prediction to Prescription: Evolutionary Optimization of Nonpharmaceutical Interventions in the COVID-19 Pandemic2021 · IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation · 44 citationsWith Risto Miikkulainen
  5. Effective reinforcement learning through evolutionary surrogate-assisted prescription2020 · Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference (GECCO) · 21 citationsWith Risto Miikkulainen

From OpenAlex, as of 18 October 2026.

  1. 14% of AI doctorate holders from 2010 to 2016 founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduationIncludes Babak Hodjat. We estimate how often AI doctorate holders founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after their doctorate, and how the timing changed across cohorts.
  2. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers rose from 3% to 32%Includes Cognizant. We estimate where leading AI researchers worked when their most-cited papers appeared. The company share rose from 3% in 1975–1979 to 32% in 2020–2024.
  3. Google has the highest combined h-index among AI organizationsIncludes University of Texas at Austin. Our estimates of combined and median h-index at AI organizations, using current affiliations and OpenAlex records.
  4. Stanford University trained or employed 27 of the 111 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes University of Texas at Austin. Stanford University trained or employed 27 of the 111 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and employment links for major-prize and best-paper winners.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Babak Hodjat yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Developer of the Natural Language Interface behind Apple’s Siri kyushu-u.ac.jp. Checked 18 October 2026.
  2. Babak Hodjat cognizant.com. Checked 18 October 2026.
  3. Sentient: The power of evolutionary intelligence enterpriseviewpoint.com. Checked 18 October 2026.
  4. Evolving Deep Neural Networks arxiv.org. Checked 18 October 2026.
  5. Cognizant CTO Of AI: Here’s How Consumer AI Trends Will Impact B2B Companies crn.com. Checked 18 October 2026.
  6. Just scratching the surface of how AI can be deployed: Babak Hodjat fortuneindia.com. Checked 18 October 2026.