PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Fabio Roli

Fabio Roli is a professor whose work connects pattern recognition, multiple classifier systems, and adversarial machine learning. He earned degrees in electronic engineering at the University of Genoa, worked in its image-processing research group, and later led a lab for secure pattern recognition at Cagliari. His later work links machine learning to cybersecurity through Pluribus One and the Wild Patterns survey. As of October 2026, he teaches at the University of Genoa and coordinates its AI commission.

Timeline

  1. 1988–1996

    From Genoa to Cagliari

    He earned M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electronic engineering at the University of Genoa and worked in its Image Processing and Understanding group from 1988 to 1994. He joined the University of Cagliari in 1995; the PRA Lab was founded there in 1996 to develop secure pattern recognition systems, and he leads the lab.

  2. 2004

    An IAPR fellowship

    IAPR names him a Fellow for contributions to pattern recognition and its applications and to multiple classifier systems.

  3. 2015

    Applying research to cybersecurity

    In 2015, Pluribus One spun off from the PRA Lab he directs at the University of Cagliari. The company grew from university research in AI and cybersecurity, and Roli described machine-learning algorithms as part of its security approach.

  4. 2017–2018

    Reviewing adversarial machine learning

    With Battista Biggio, he co-authored the paper Wild Patterns, which reviews how adversarial machine learning developed and how crafted inputs can subvert classifiers. The survey covers threat models, attacks, defenses, and challenges for more secure learning algorithms.

  5. 2020

    An award for classifier systems

    He received the Pierre Devijver Award for contributions to ensemble learning and multiple classifier systems and for service to IAPR TC1.

  6. 2024

    Connecting two AI security labs

    In September 2024, the sAIfer Lab website launches to present a joint effort by the University of Genoa's SmartLab and Cagliari's PRA Lab on AI and cybersecurity. Roli directs PRA Lab and is one of SmartLab's three directors.

  7. As of October 2026

    Teaching and coordinating AI

    As of October 2026, he is a full professor in the University of Genoa's DIBRIS department and teaches Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in the 2026–27 academic year. Since February 2026, he has coordinated the university's AI commission.

Sources and credits

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  1. Fabio Roli – PRA Lab sites.unica.it. Checked 14 October 2026.
  2. Nasce il sAIfer Lab, laboratorio congiunto per la sicurezza dei sistemi di Intelligenza Artificiale dibris.unige.it. Checked 14 October 2026.
  3. Chronological List of IAPR Fellows iapr.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  4. Sicurezza informatica e intelligenza artificiale: lo staff di Fabio Roli ai vertici mondiali del settore web.unica.it. Checked 14 October 2026.
  5. [1712.03141] Wild Patterns: Ten Years After the Rise of Adversarial Machine Learning arxiv.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  6. Pierre Devijver Award sites.google.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  7. Fabio Roli | DIBRIS dibris.unige.it. Checked 14 October 2026.
  8. Commissione di Ateneo sull’Intelligenza Artificiale | UniGe | Università di Genova unige.it. Checked 14 October 2026.