PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

M. Anthony Lewis

Also known as Tony Lewis

M. Anthony Lewis is a researcher whose work connects robotic walking, neuromorphic engineering and edge AI. With Andrew Fagg, he explored genetic algorithms for Rodney, then coauthored studies of human locomotion and edge inference. After leading HP’s AI and Emerging Compute Lab and Qualcomm’s neuromorphic and robotics efforts, he joined BrainChip as CTO in November 2023 and coauthored its introduction to TENN. In 2025, he was scheduled to present on low-power AI at the Embedded Vision Summit and wrote about BrainChip’s radar and electronic-warfare models, including SAR image denoising, as the company’s CTO.

Now at
BrainChip

Timeline

  1. 1992–1993

    Genetic algorithms for Rodney

    With Andrew Fagg, Lewis explores genetic algorithms for neural oscillator circuits that produce walking movements on Rodney, a six-legged robot. A 1992 conference paper lists him as a coauthor on genetic programming for walking-robot control, and the project ends in 1993.

  2. 2012

    A model of human walking

    In 2012, he coauthors a physical model of sensorimotor interactions during locomotion. Its half-centre controls the hips, while reflex responses guide the lower limb in a human-like walking gait.

  3. 2020

    Machine-learning inference offload

    In 2020, he coauthors a method that offloads machine-learning inference from constrained edge devices to installed-base on-premises edge resources. It tests person- and object-detection models for mobile robots and video surveillance.

  4. By 2023

    Robotics and engineering degrees

    By 2023, he holds a BS in cybernetics from UCLA and master’s and PhD degrees in electrical engineering from USC, specializing in robotics and neuroscience.

  5. November 2023

    BrainChip CTO appointment

    In November 2023, he joins BrainChip as CTO after leading HP’s AI and Emerging Compute Lab and Qualcomm’s neuromorphic, deep-learning and robotics efforts. His career also includes visiting or adjunct professorships at the University of Arizona, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Waterloo.

  6. May 2024

    Introducing TENN

    In May 2024, he coauthors BrainChip’s introduction to TENN, or Temporal Event-based Neural Network. The model processes continuous data streams for edge and event-based applications.

  7. May 2025

    Low-power AI at the summit

    In May 2025, he is scheduled to present a session titled “State-Space Models vs Transformers at the Extreme Edge: Architectural Choices for Low Power AI” at the Embedded Vision Summit.

  8. 2025

    BrainChip CTO and edge AI

    In 2025, he is BrainChip’s CTO, specializing in brain-inspired AI and robotics. He writes about the team’s machine-learning models for radar and electronic warfare, including SAR image denoising with Akida 1500 and 2.x hardware.

Career

  1. Until 2023AI and Emerging Compute LabLead
  2. Until 2023QualcommLeader of neuromorphic, deep learning and robotics efforts
  3. From 2023BrainChipChief Technology Officer
  4. University of ArizonaVisiting or Adjunct Professor
  5. University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignVisiting or Adjunct Professor
  6. University of WaterlooVisiting or Adjunct Professor

Education

  1. University of California, Los AngelesBS in cybernetics
  2. University of Southern CaliforniaMaster’s and PhD in electrical engineering

From the biography.

  1. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.
  2. Among employers with 30+ full-time cases, OpenAI leads primary technical role H-1B pay at $310,000, and Amazon, Google and Microsoft file 57% of all casesIncludes Qualcomm. Across 440,669 certified US H-1B filings from 44 employers (FY2020–FY2026), OpenAI leads primary technical role base pay at $310,000 and xAI leads overall base pay at $290,000.
  3. 84% of people shaping AI with recorded undergraduate and doctoral schools changed institutions for their doctorateIncludes University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 84% of people shaping AI with recorded undergraduate and doctoral schools changed institutions for their doctorate. Across 2,116 people with both an undergraduate degree and a doctorate recorded, we trace which undergraduate schools feed which doctoral programs, how often students stay at the same school, and how paths differ by birth-country region.
  4. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.

Sources and credits

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  1. Rodney: Genetic Walking cs.ou.edu. Checked 21 October 2026.
  2. Most accurate robotic legs mimic human walking gait sciencedaily.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  3. Cost-effective Machine Learning Inference Offload for Edge Computing arxiv.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  4. BrainChip Announces Dr. Tony Lewis as the New Chief Technology Officer investor.brainchip.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  5. Tony Lewis - 2025 Summit embeddedvisionsummit.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  6. Introducing TENN: Energy-Efficient Transformer brainchip.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  7. Pasteur’s Magic Quadrant in AI: The Fusion of Fundamental Research and Practical brainchip.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  8. BrainChip CTO to Present on Architectural Innovation for Low-power AI at the Embedded Vision Summit edge-ai-vision.com. Checked 21 October 2026.