Fola Adeleke is the Executive Director and co-founder of the Global Center on AI Governance and leads its African Observatory on Responsible AI. His work sits at the intersection of data protection, transparency, accountability, and human rights, and he brings a global perspective on navigating the rise of artificial intelligence. Dr. Fola’s advisory work has shaped national and regional AI strategies, including South Africa’s National AI Strategy, Nigeria’s AI Strategy, and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights study on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights. He also led the development of the Global Partnership on AI’s report on governments as providers of data for AI.

A lawyer, he is a member of the Nova Scotia Bar, and also holds a PhD in international investment law and human rights from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa.  Dr. Fola completed his post-doctoral research as a Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University and Harvard University in the US.

Fola Adeleke coordinates leading certificate programs on AI, ethics, and human rights at the University of Cape Town and the University of Pretoria. His expertise offers critical insight into how AI can strengthen transparency, equity, and protecting the public. His work highlights the responsibilities of institutions as they adopt and oversee AI systems, making him a timely and influential voice for this year’s conference.

Fola Adeleke has been recognized internationally for his contributions to AI governance and development, including as a Mo Ibrahim Residential Fellow at the University of London. He is an Associate Professor at Wits Law School in South Africa, an Atlantic Senior Fellow on Social and Economic Equity at the London School of Economics, and an Assistant Professor in Commercial Law at the Sobey School of Business at St. Mary’s University in Canada.

He also serves as a Commissioner with the Lancet Commission on AI and HIV and is an NRF-rated researcher whose work advances responsible data use and corporate accountability.