CAIR student wins best paper award

CAIR student, Nicholas Leisegang, has won the best paper award at the recent JELIA conference, held in Georgia, along with co-authors Prof Tommie Meyer and Prof Ivan Varzinczak.

Prof Meyer recognised with 2025 SAICSIT Pioneer Award

Professor Tommie Meyer was honoured with the 2025 SAICSIT Pioneer award at the organisation’s 46th Annual conference that was held in Umhlanga from July 17th to 18th, 2025.

Prof Tommie Meyer awarded SARChI Chair in Symbolic AI

Professor Tommie Meyer has been awarded a prestigious South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) Chair in Symbolic Artificial Intelligence.

Adaptive and Cognitive Systems Lab

The Adaptive and Cognitive Systems Lab investigates architectures and frameworks for self-learning cognitive systems that are able to adapt to an evolving environment.

Group Co-ordinator

Deshen Moodley

AI and Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is one of the most pressing problems experienced in almost all industries. The focus of this group is on the combination of the two disciplines, Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence. This area offers exciting prospects for automation, understanding and prediction in an environment where computing power, data collection and data storage increase rapidly.

Group Co-ordinator

Louise Leenen

Applied Representation Learning Lab

Representation learning underpins forecasting, prediction and control for optimising data-driven decision-making. The lab explores sequential (time series), similarity and rank, surrogate models and lifelong learning tasks.

Group Co-ordinator

Terence van Zyl

CAIR Deep Learning

The CAIR node at NWU studies machine learning, with a specific emphasis on the theory and application of deep learning. The group has a longstanding interest in the theoretical analysis of these networks, including their interpretability and generalisation behaviour. The group also applies these techniques to various domains.

Group Co-ordinator

Marelie Davel

CAIR@UKZN

The CAIR group at UKZN conducts research in machine learning in general and deep learning in particular. The group focuses on deep learning neural network and Bayesian deep learning approaches to solving problems in recommender systems, natural language processing, self driving cars and image processing and computer vision.

Group Co-ordinator

Anban Pillay

Computational Thinking for AI

CAIR at Stellenbosch University conducts research in knowledge abstraction and representation, including symbolic modelling, computational logic, algorithmic problem solving, and related aspects of computational thinking for AI.

No Group Co-ordinator available.

Ethics of AI

This research group is located at the Department of Philosophy at the University of Pretoria. The research of this group focuses on machine ethics, the ethics of social robotics, neuro-ethics and data ethics, as well as research around policy-making for AI and sustainability in Africa and trustworthy AI.

Group Co-ordinator

Emma Ruttkamp-Bloem

Knowledge Representation and Reasoning

KRR is a research group based in Computer Science at the University of Cape Town, working on various aspects of Knowledge Representation and Reasoning.

Group Co-ordinator

Tommie Meyer

Speech Technologies

Speech Technologies is a research group affiliated with the Telkom Centre of Excellence for Speech Technology, located at the University of Limpopo in the Department of Computer Science. Its main focus is directed towards human language technology (HLT) research and development for languages spoken in the Limpopo province.

Group Co-ordinator

Thipe Modipa

Statistics@CAIR-UP

The goal of the group is to conduct applied research in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, with a focus on Mathematical and Computational Statistics. The Stats@CAIR-UP node focuses on capacity building in Mathematical and Computational Statistics - both in the Department of Statistics as well as with partnering PDI universities.

Group Co-ordinator

Alta de Waal

Swarm Intelligence Lab

The research group at the Sol Plaatje University is a CAIR Development Initiative. The group has a strong emphasis on applied research and is currently working on the identification of nature-inspired swarm intelligence techniques for various applications including autonomous robotics.

Group Co-ordinator

Colin Chibaya

Transformative Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerged as a transformative technology with significant potential to revolutionise and disrupt various industries and sectors. The impact of generative AI using Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT on education, or AI image and video generation on graphic design, are examples of disruption and transformation of industries and sectors. The technological developments in AI emphasise the need for dedicated efforts to push the boundaries of AI capabilities and address critical challenges in the field, especially within a developing context such as Southern Africa.

Group Co-ordinator

Aurona Gerber