PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Noel Sharkey

Noel Sharkey is a computer scientist whose career links AI research, autonomous robotics and public debate about military robotics. He earned a first in psychology at Exeter in 1979 and completed a PhD on an AI reading model in 1982; his academic posts took him through Yale, Stanford and Essex before an Exeter readership in 1988. By 2002, he held Sheffield's computer-science chair and demonstrated predator-and-prey robots whose virtual genes passed control systems into new generations. He served as head judge on every Robot Wars series from 1998 and returned for the BBC Two revival in 2016; he became a founding member of ICRAC and co-founded the Foundation for Responsible Robotics. As of October 2026, he is an Emeritus Professor and Honorary Academic in the University of Sheffield's School of Computer Science.

Born
1948
Works
145
Citations
4,822
h-index
35
Badges

Years link to their sources. Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 22 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1979–1982

    An AI model of reading

    At Exeter, he earns a first in psychology in 1979. In 1982, he completes a PhD by developing and psychologically testing an AI model of reading; he says this is when his interest in machine learning begins.

  2. By 2002

    From Exeter to Sheffield

    His first post is as a research associate in computer science at Yale, where he works with its artificial-intelligence and cognitive-science groups; at Stanford, he is a senior research associate studying memory through psychological experiments and computer modelling. He takes his first lectureship at Essex, then accepts a readership in computer science at Exeter in 1988 and begins robotics research. By 2002, he holds a chair in computer science at Sheffield, specializing in neurocomputing and robotics.

  3. 1998–2016

    Robot Wars head judge

    He is head judge on every series of Robot Wars from its first broadcast in 1998. He returns for the BBC Two revival in 2016.

  4. 2002

    Autonomous predator robots

    At Magna Science Centre in 2002, he demonstrates autonomous predator and prey robots that make their own decisions in real time. Their virtual genes encode the best robot control systems and pass them into new generations.

  5. 2009

    Founding ICRAC

    In September 2009, he is one of ICRAC's founding members. The committee calls on the international community to discuss an arms-control regime for military robotics.

  6. October 2014

    Honorary doctor at Skövde

    In October 2014, the University of Skövde awards him an honorary doctorate in information technology, making him the institution's first honorary doctor.

  7. 2015

    Foundation for Responsible Robotics

    In 2015, he and Aimee van Wynsberghe start the Foundation for Responsible Robotics. At its media launch in December 2015, he speaks as an Emeritus Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at Sheffield.

  8. As of October 2026

    Emeritus Professor at Sheffield

    He is an Emeritus Professor and Honorary Academic in the University of Sheffield's School of Computer Science.

Career

  1. Since 2002University of SheffieldChair in Computer Science
  2. From 2015Foundation for Responsible RoboticsCo-founder
  3. From 2009ICRACFounding member
  4. 1988–2002University of ExeterReader in Computer Science
  5. 1985Stanford University
  6. 1985–1987University of EssexLecturer

Education

  1. 1982University of ExeterPhD
  2. 1979University of ExeterPsychology degree

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

Most-cited works

  1. Granny and the robots: ethical issues in robot care for the elderly2010 · Ethics and Information Technology · 980 citations
  2. Advances in Cognitive Science1988 · The American Journal of Psychology · 257 citations
  3. The crying shame of robot nannies2010 · Interaction Studies Social Behaviour and Communication in Biological and Artificial Systems · 201 citations
  4. Saying ‘No!’ to Lethal Autonomous Targeting2010 · Journal of Military Ethics · 199 citations
  5. The Ethical Frontiers of Robotics2008 · Science · 178 citations

From OpenAlex, as of 21 October 2026.

  1. 20% of people at companies who shape AI also hold a university role, led by Google and Stanford UniversityIncludes Stanford University. We estimate that 539 of the 6,766 people with a known current organization (8%) hold both a university role and a company role, including 20% of people at companies and 13% of people at universities.
  2. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes University of Sheffield. 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.
  3. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes University of Sheffield. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.
  4. Google has the highest combined h-index among AI organizationsIncludes University of Sheffield. We estimate that Google holds the highest combined h-index at 8,016, while universities account for 73% of the deduplicated total across AI organizations.

Colleagues

People named in this biography, and people with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

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

  1. Mechanical manoeuvres | Academic experts | The Guardian theguardian.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  2. An Interview With Professor Noel Sharkey, The Godfather of Robot Wars vice.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  3. Informatics expert joins Robot Wars judges | Staff news | The University of Edinburgh ed.ac.uk. Checked 21 October 2026.
  4. You make my heart beep | Science | The Guardian theguardian.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  5. Statements icrac.net. Checked 21 October 2026.
  6. Noel Sharkey blir Högskolan i Skövdes första hedersdoktor mynewsdesk.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  7. Why Robotics Needs Responsibility | VolkswagenStiftung volkswagenstiftung.de. Checked 21 October 2026.
  8. media launch of Foundation for Responsible Robotics | Science Media Centre sciencemediacentre.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  9. Emeritus Professor Noel Sharkey | Computer Science | The University of Sheffield sheffield.ac.uk. Checked 21 October 2026.