PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Deborah Richards

Deborah Richards is an emeritus professor in Macquarie University's School of Computing and an AI researcher whose work moved from knowledge-based systems to intelligent virtual agents. She studied computing and information systems while working in ICT, completed an AI PhD at the University of New South Wales, and joined Macquarie as a lecturer in 1999. Her work included a 2018 paper with Patrina Caldwell on an interactive website and virtual specialist, and a 2025 project on generative AI in ICT higher education. In March 2026, she coauthored research on whether AI agents can lead human teams.

Works
445
Citations
4,243
h-index
31
Badges

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 19 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1989–1995

    Computing study during industry work

    While working in the ICT industry, she completes a BBus (Comp and MIS) in 1989 and an MAppSc (Info Studies) in 1995 at Charles Sturt University.

  2. 1993–2003

    From knowledge systems to agents

    She begins AI research in 1993 on knowledge acquisition, reuse and knowledge-based systems. In 1999, she completes a PhD in AI at the University of New South Wales and joins Macquarie University as a lecturer. In 2003, her work moves to agent-based systems, with a focus on intelligent virtual agents and intelligent virtual worlds.

  3. 2018

    A paper on virtual specialists

    She and Patrina Caldwell publish a 2018 paper on using an interactive website and virtual specialist to improve health outcomes.

  4. 2019

    Professor at Macquarie

    By 2019, she is a professor in Macquarie University's Department of Computing and focuses her research on intelligent virtual agents.

  5. 2025

    Generative AI in ICT education

    Macquarie's 2025 project on generative AI in ICT higher education aligns university practices with TEQSA principles for effective and ethical assessment and names her as a primary chief investigator.

  6. March 2026

    An AI agent and human teams

    In March 2026, she coauthors “Can an AI agent lead human teams?”

  7. As of October 2026

    Emeritus professor at Macquarie

    As of October 2026, she is an emeritus professor in Macquarie University's School of Computing and a member of its Frontier AI Research Centre.

Career

  1. Since 1999Macquarie UniversityLecturer

Education

  1. 1999UNSW SydneyPhD
  2. 1995Charles Sturt UniversityMAppSc (Info Studies)
  3. 1989Charles Sturt UniversityBBus (Comp and MIS)

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

Most-cited works

  1. Impact of social media on the health of children and young people2015 · Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health · 247 citations
  2. AI Decision Making with Dignity? Contrasting Workers’ Justice Perceptions of Human and AI Decision Making in a Human Resource Management Context2022 · Information Systems Frontiers · 217 citations
  3. A Comparison of learning gains when using a 2D simulation tool versus a 3D virtual world: An experiment to find the right representation involving the Marginal Value Theorem2015 · Computers & Education · 145 citations
  4. Automatic Recognition of Student Engagement Using Deep Learning and Facial Expression2020 · Lecture notes in computer science · 138 citations
  5. Medical AI and human dignity: Contrasting perceptions of human and artificially intelligent (AI) decision making in diagnostic and medical resource allocation contexts2022 · Computers in Human Behavior · 129 citations

From OpenAlex, as of 19 October 2026.

  1. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers rose from 2% to 32%Includes Macquarie University. We estimate where leading AI researchers worked when their most-cited papers appeared. The company share rose from 2% in 1975–1979 to 32% in 2020–2024.
  2. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes UNSW Sydney. Our estimates of where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led, from education records in cited biographies.
  3. Stanford University trained or employed 20 of the 89 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes UNSW Sydney. Stanford University trained or employed 20 of the 89 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and employment links for major-prize and best-paper winners.
  4. Google had the most people shaping AI every year from 2014 to 2025Our estimates of which organizations employed the most people shaping AI from 1961 to 2025, with a year-by-year chart.

Colleagues

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

Sources and credits

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

  1. SECedu Conference seceduconference.com.au. Checked 19 October 2026.
  2. Deborah Richards | BERA bera.ac.uk. Checked 19 October 2026.
  3. Academic Integrity in Australia web.science.mq.edu.au. Checked 19 October 2026.
  4. Improving health outcomes sooner rather than later via an interactive website and virtual specialist - Macquarie University researchers.mq.edu.au. Checked 19 October 2026.
  5. Deborah Richards - Macquarie University researchers.mq.edu.au. Checked 19 October 2026.