PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

David Lorge Parnas

Also known as David Parnas, Dave Parnas

David Lorge Parnas is best known for the concept of information hiding, and his recent AI work argues that AI software is untrustworthy. He began studying professional software development in 1969, and in 2017 he published "The real risks of artificial intelligence" in Communications of the ACM. He writes there that incidents from the early days of AI research are instructive in the current AI environment. In 2025 his ICSE keynote, "Regulation of AI and Other Untrustworthy Software," held that useful regulation requires understanding why AI software has always been, and always will be, untrustworthy. As of October 2026, he is professor emeritus at McMaster University and at the University of Limerick.

Now at
McMaster University and University of Limerick
Works
347
Citations
18,072
h-index
54

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1969

    The concept of information hiding

    He begins studying professional software development in 1969. He is best known for the concept of information hiding.

  2. 1979

    An ACM Best Paper Award

    In 1979 he wins an ACM Best Paper Award.

  3. 1998

    An NSERC/Bell research chair

    In 1998 he holds the NSERC/Bell Industrial Research Chair in Software Engineering at McMaster University.

  4. 2003

    The SQRL lab in Limerick

    In 2003 he joins the faculty of the University of Limerick to lead the Software Quality Research Laboratory.

  5. 2007

    A 60th anniversary award

    In 2007 he shares the IEEE Computer Society's 60th anniversary award with Maurice Wilkes.

  6. September 2017

    The real risks of AI

    In September 2017 he publishes "The real risks of artificial intelligence" in Communications of the ACM. He writes that incidents from the early days of AI research are instructive in the current AI environment.

  7. April 2025

    An ICSE keynote on AI regulation

    In April 2025 he gives the keynote "Regulation of AI and Other Untrustworthy Software" at ICSE 2025 in Ottawa. He holds that useful regulation requires understanding why AI software has always been, and always will be, untrustworthy.

  8. As of October 2026

    Emeritus at two universities

    He retired from the University of Limerick in 2008, and he is professor emeritus at McMaster University and at the University of Limerick.

Sources and credits

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  1. David Parnas Keynote: Regulation of AI and Other Untrustworthy Software (ICSE 2025 - Main Plenaries) - ICSE 2025 conf.researchr.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  2. Rochester Chapter of the IEEE Computer Society ewh.ieee.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  3. Software Quality Research Laboratory at UL irishscientist.ie. Checked 15 October 2026.
  4. Parnas Fellowship - Lero lero.ie. Checked 15 October 2026.
  5. David Lorge Parnas computer.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  6. The real risks of artificial intelligence experts.mcmaster.ca. Checked 15 October 2026.