PeopleofSuperintelligence

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Sergio Bergman

Sergio Bergman is an Argentine rabbi and public figure whose AI relevance comes through effective giving. He backed a Jewish initiative sponsored by the World Union for Progressive Judaism; in the wider movement, Sam Bankman-Fried pledged money for causes including AI using effective-altruism criteria. Bergman earned degrees in pharmacy, biochemistry and Jewish studies, entered Argentine politics, and led national climate and forestry work. He has been WUPJ president since June 2020 and remains in the role as of October 2026.

Now at
World Union for Progressive Judaism
Born
1962
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Years link to their sources.

Timeline

  1. 2008

    Education and community work

    Born in Buenos Aires in 1962, he earns a bachelor's degree in biochemistry and pharmaceutics at the University of Buenos Aires and master's degrees in education, Hebrew letters and Jewish studies. He is ordained at the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary in Buenos Aires in 1992 and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem in 1993. By 2008, he is a founder of Memoria Activa, Fundación Judaica and Fundación Argentina Ciudadana; the Konex Foundation awards him the Platinum Konex for community leaders.

  2. 2011–2013

    Elected in Buenos Aires

    In 2011, he becomes the first rabbi elected to public office in Argentina and represents the City of Buenos Aires. In 2013, he is elected to represent the city in the national Congress.

  3. 2015

    Environment minister

    In December 2015, President Mauricio Macri appoints him Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development.

  4. 2016

    A national climate cabinet

    In 2016, Chief of Cabinet Marcos Peña announces the National Climate Change Cabinet with Bergman, then Argentina’s Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development; it coordinates action across ministries.

  5. 2018

    Presenting ForestAR

    In May 2018, Bergman presents ForestAR, a government strategy from the Ministry of Environment to create a sustainable forestry economy in Argentina.

  6. 2019

    Mercosur environment meeting

    In May 2019, as Argentina’s Secretary of Government for Environment and Sustainable Development, Bergman hosts the opening of the 22nd Mercosur environment ministers’ meeting and serves as president pro tempore of the forum.

  7. 2022

    Jewish effective giving

    In 2022, Bergman backs Adam Azari’s Jewish Effective Giving Initiative, which the WUPJ sponsors and which secures pledges from 37 Reform congregations. In 2022, Sam Bankman-Fried pledges money to causes including artificial intelligence, selected using effective-altruism criteria.

  8. As of October 2026

    WUPJ president

    The WUPJ appoints him president effective June 1, 2020, succeeding Ambassador Rabbi David Saperstein. In October 2025, he speaks as WUPJ president at Connections in Jerusalem during the union’s centennial year. In 2026, he leads discussions at the WUPJ Asia Summit in Hong Kong; in September 2026, he attends a rabbinic ordination at Buenos Aires’ Templo de Libertad as WUPJ president, a role he holds as of October 2026.

Career

  1. Since 2020World Union for Progressive JudaismPresident
  2. Until 2019Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of ArgentinaMinister
  3. From 2019Government of ArgentinaSecretary of Government for Environment and Sustainable Development
  4. From 2013National Congress of ArgentinaMember of Congress
  5. Memoria ActivaFounder
  6. Fundación JudaicaFounder
  7. Fundación Argentina CiudadanaFounder
  8. Secretariat of Environment and Sustainable Development of ArgentinaNational Secretary

Education

  1. 1993Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of ReligionRabbinical ordination
  2. 1992Latin American Rabbinical SeminaryRabbinical ordination
  3. University of Buenos AiresBachelor's degree in biochemistry and pharmaceutics

From the biography.

  1. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes University of Buenos Aires. 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.
  2. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes University of Buenos Aires. 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.
  3. Google had the most people shaping AI every year from 2014 to 2025Our estimates of which organizations employed the most people shaping AI each year from 1955 to 2025, tracing the shift from university labs to companies.
  4. The United States employs an estimated 48% of people shaping AIWe estimate where the people shaping AI work today, how universities, companies and research institutes split across countries, and how country shares have changed since the 1960s.

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 Sergio Bergman yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Rabbi Sergio Bergman – World Union for Progressive Judaism wupj.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  2. Sergio Bergman | Fundación Konex fundacionkonex.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  3. Se oficializaron los nuevos ministros, carteras y secretarías argentina.gob.ar. Checked 21 October 2026.
  4. El Gobierno creó el Gabinete de Cambio Climático argentina.gob.ar. Checked 21 October 2026.
  5. Gabinete Nacional de Cambio Climático: nueva reunión de ministros argentina.gob.ar. Checked 21 October 2026.
  6. Bergman encabezó la reunión de ministros de Ambiente del Mercosur argentina.gob.ar. Checked 21 October 2026.
  7. Synagogues are joining an ‘effective altruism’ initiative. Will the Sam Bankman-Fried scandal stop them? jta.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  8. [NEW YORK AND JERUSALEM] World Union Announces New President, Rabbi Sergio Bergman wupj.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  9. Recap – Connections 2025 wupj.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  10. Two new rabbis ordained by our Reform Rabbinical Institute ujr-amlat.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  11. WUPJ Asia Summit 2026 wupj.org. Checked 21 October 2026.