Lex Fridman, born Alexei Fridman on August 15, 1983, is an American computer scientist, AI researcher at MIT, and popular podcaster. Born in Chkalovsk, Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic, Fridman's family moved to the Chicago area when he was around 11 years old. He obtained B.S. and M.S. degrees in computer science in 2010, followed by a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering in 2014, all from Drexel University. Fridman's research primarily focuses on human-AI interaction, machine learning, and robotics. He is currently a research scientist at the MIT Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems (LIDS).
Fridman is best known for hosting the "Lex Fridman Podcast," which he began in 2018 (initially as the "Artificial Intelligence Podcast"). The podcast features long-form conversations with notable figures from various fields, including science, technology, sports, the arts, and politics. Guests have included Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Narendra Modi. In addition to his research and podcasting work, Fridman also teaches courses on AI and related topics. Recent episodes of his podcast include discussions on OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent framework, and the state of AI in 2026.