PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Roman Yampolskiy

Also known as Roman V. Yampolskiy

Roman Yampolskiy is a computer scientist whose research spans behavioral biometrics, cybersecurity and AI safety. He earned a combined BS/MS in computer science at Rochester Institute of Technology, completed a PhD in computer science and engineering at the University at Buffalo, and joined Louisville as an assistant professor in 2008. His 2011 publication presented AI safety engineering as an early research direction, and he became director of Louisville’s Cyber Security Lab by 2012. He wrote Artificial Superintelligence: A Futuristic Approach, received a Kentucky Academy of Science award for science education and outreach in 2019, and argued in a 2020 paper that advanced AI cannot be fully controlled. As of October 2026, he is a tenured associate professor and Cyber Security Lab director at Louisville.

Now at
University of Louisville
Works
249
Citations
4,652
h-index
34

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 2004

    A computer science thesis

    He earns a combined BS/MS in computer science at Rochester Institute of Technology; his 2004 MS thesis studies feature extraction for character recognition.

  2. 2008

    A move to Louisville

    After completing a PhD in computer science and engineering at the University at Buffalo, he joins the University of Louisville as an assistant professor in 2008. His 2008 survey with Venu Govindaraju examines behavioral biometrics.

  3. 2010–2011

    An early AI safety paper

    He becomes a Fellow of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute in 2010. His 2011 publication, Artificial Intelligence Safety Engineering: Why Machine Ethics Is a Wrong Approach, advances safety engineering as an early research path for AI safety.

  4. 2012–2019

    Cyber Security Lab leadership

    By 2012, he directs the Cyber Security Lab at Louisville and is promoted to associate professor in 2014. He serves as a MIRI research advisor in 2012, a GCRI research associate in 2018 and a Foresight Institute AI Safety Fellow in 2019.

  5. 2019

    A science outreach award

    He receives the Kentucky Academy of Science’s Excellence in Science Education & Outreach Award in 2019. His books include Artificial Superintelligence: A Futuristic Approach.

  6. 2020

    On controllability of AI

    In his 2020 paper, he argues that advanced AI cannot be fully controlled and discusses the consequences for humanity and AI safety.

  7. As of October 2026

    Associate professor at Louisville

    As of October 2026, he is a tenured associate professor at the University of Louisville and director of its Cyber Security Lab.

Sources and credits

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

  1. “Feature Extraction Methods for Character Recognition” by Roman V. Yampolskiy repository.rit.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  2. Dr. Roman V. Yampolskiy, Computer Science, Speed School, University of Louisville, KY faculty.cse.louisville.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  3. Dr. Roman V. Yampolskiy, Computer Science, Speed School, University of Louisville, KY faculty.cse.louisville.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  4. University of Louisville (Dr. Roman Yampolskiy’s Research Group (Cybersecurity Lab)) grantmaking.aisafety.com. Checked 15 October 2026.
  5. Roman Yampolskiy - Future of Life Institute futureoflife.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  6. Excellence in Science Education & Outreach Award - Kentucky Academy of Science kyscience.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  7. [2008.04071] On Controllability of AI arxiv.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  8. Roman Yampolskiy - Expert in AI Safety and Cybersecurity romanyampolskiy.com. Checked 15 October 2026.