Luca Longo

Associate Professor, Director of the AI and Cognitive Load Research Lab, University College Cork

Luca Longo is an Italian professor and AI researcher whose work sits at the intersection of Explainable AI, Deep Learning, and human cognition. Based at University College Cork, he founded Ireland’s first Centre for Explainable AI and leads the AI and Cognitive Load Research Lab, advancing research on how machines can understand, explain, and support human decision-making.

A globally recognized thought leader, Luca is the founder and chair of the World Conference on Explainable Artificial Intelligence and a TED speaker, bringing complex ideas to broader audiences. His research on computational models of cognitive load is helping to bridge the gap between human and machine intelligence.

His contributions have earned him several distinctions, including AI Person of the Year 2023 by AI Ireland, the Teaching Hero Award in 2016 and 2021 from Ireland’s National Forum for Teaching and Learning, a nomination for Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year by Times Higher Education, and the Italiani nel Mondo Award in 2024.

Luca holds an exceptional academic portfolio, including two doctorates, one in Artificial Intelligence from Trinity College Dublin and one in Neuroscience, also from Trinity College Dublin, as well as master’s degrees in Computer Science, Health Informatics, Statistics, and Pedagogy. His work combines scientific research, education, and public communication, with a focus on making AI more understandable and human-centered.