Professor Cosmina Dorobantu

Cosmina Dorobantu is Professor in Practice in the Data Science Institute at LSE. Her research interest is in AI and public policy.

Her career spans from shaping Google’s business strategy in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, to co-founding Aurora Energy Research, now Europe’s largest dedicated power analytics provider. Most recently, alongside Professor Helen Margetts, she co-founded and co-directed the world’s largest programme of research on AI for the public sector at The Alan Turing Institute.

The Public Policy Programme brought together more than 55 full-time researchers and worked with over 100 public sector organisations, from multinational organisations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and the Council of Europe, to UK government departments, regulators, and local authorities. The Programme's research shaped policymaking across the Global South, created innovative AI models to improve productivity in the public sector, informed landmark legislation like the Online Safety Act, and influenced national and international approaches to AI governance.

In March 2025, Cosmina received the inaugural AI and Robotics Research Community Award, recognising her contributions to the AI research landscape in the UK as well as the collaborations she fostered “between researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, bridging the gap between innovation and societal impact.”

Professor Dorobantu’s extensive policy influence includes serving on the Mayor of London's Data Advisory Board, advising on data strategy and the development of the Data for London platform; the Bank of England and Financial Conduct Authority's AI Public-Private Forum, advising on the benefits and challenges of AI deployment in financial services; and the Department for International Trade’s Trade and Economy Panel, advising on digital trade and AI’s impact on global commerce. She has also held advisory roles for the Cabinet Office and Government Office for Science on long-term strategic thinking, and served as an expert witness to UK Parliamentary committees.