Biography:Alexiei Dingli
Alexiei Dingli (born 29 December 1979)[1] is a Maltese artificial intelligence researcher who is professor of artificial intelligence at the University of Malta. As a member of the Nationalist Party (PN), he was the mayor of Valletta, the capital of Malta, between 2008 and 2019.
Early life and education
Dingli grew up in Valletta. He graduated with a first-class Bachelor of Science degree in IT and obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in computer science from the University of Sheffield. He also earned a Master of Business Administration degree with specialisation in technology management from the Grenoble School of Management.[1]
Mayor of Valletta
Dingli began volunteering for the Nationalist Party (PN) when he was 11 and was elected to their committee in Valletta when he was 15.[2] He was elected to the city council in 2005 with the second highest number of votes.[2] In July 2008, Paul Borg Olivier resigned to concentrate on his role as secretary general of the PN, and Dingli succeeded him as mayor on a unanimous vote by the council.[2]
In October 2011, Dingli launched Valletta's bid for European Capital of Culture.[3] Eleven months later, the bid was successful.[4]
On 9 January 2019, Dingli resigned as mayor.[5] Later that month, he told the Times of Malta that despite his support of business, residents were being affected by restaurants brining noise to residential areas, too many hotels were opening at once, and landlords were allegedly causing problems in order to make tenants move out.[6]
Post-political career
In January 2024, Dingli went on the Maltese version of Shark Tank to search for investors for Digital Traffic Brain, an AI-driven traffic management system that seeks to ease Malta's congestion problem. He requested €1 million for 40% in the company, but struck a deal with energy businessman Mark Bajada for €1.3 million in exchange for 50% of the company.[7] Later that month, Dingli was named on the board at HSBC Bank Malta.[8]
In October 2025, Maltese public television channel TVM broadcast the series Artificial Intelligence in Our Lives, the country's first series to have an AI presenter. The presenter was based on Dingli's appearance and mannerisms, but its voice was based on real recordings and not a synthetic replication, as AI has little exposure to the Maltese language. Dingli said that AI presenters would outperform humans, a position challenged by former Public Broadcasting Services newsreader Keith Demicoli.[9]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "New Valletta mayor". Times of Malta. 10 July 2008. https://timesofmalta.com/article/new-valletta-mayor.216084.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Alexiei Dingli Is Valletta's new mayor". The Malta Independent. 11 July 2008. https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2008-07-11/local-news/Alexiei-Dingli-Is-Valletta%E2%80%99s-new-mayor-210246.
- ↑ Borg, Bertrand (18 October 2011). "Valletta aspires to 'cultural renaissance'". Times of Malta. https://timesofmalta.com/article/Valletta-aspires-to-cultural-renaissance-.389630.
- ↑ "Valletta Council Welcomes European Capital of Culture designation". The Malta Independent. 14 October 2012. https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2012-10-14/news/valletta-council-welcomes-european-capital-of-culture-designation-317254/.
- ↑ "Valletta Mayor Alexiei Dingli resigns, says he will remain active in the PN". The Malta Independent. 9 January 2019. https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2019-01-09/local-news/Valletta-Mayor-Alexiei-Dingli-resigns-says-he-will-remain-active-in-the-PN-6736201806.
- ↑ Depares, Ramona (27 January 2019). "'We are slowly killing Valletta'". Times of Malta. https://timesofmalta.com/article/we-are-slowly-killing-valletta.700289.
- ↑ Cummings, James (19 January 2024). "Professor secures €1.3 million on Shark Tank TV show for AI traffic system". Times of Malta. https://timesofmalta.com/article/professor-secures-13-million-shark-tank-tv-show-ai-traffic-system.1079115.
- ↑ Vella, Matthew (25 January 2024). "AI professor Alexiei Dingli appointed HSBC Malta board director". Malta Today. https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/business/business_news/127203/ai_professor_alexiei_dingli_appoined_hsbc_malta_board_director.
- ↑ Madary, Adelaide (2 October 2025). "TVM unveils AI television presenter". Times of Malta. https://timesofmalta.com/article/tvm-unveils-ai-television-presenter.1117154.
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