AIMS Senegal and the entire AIMS Network extend our warmest congratulations to Prof. Moustapha Cissé on his selection for the prestigious TIME100 Most Influential People in AI list for 2026.
This global milestone recognizes both his transformative entrepreneurial leadership in digital health and his foundational contributions to artificial intelligence education across the African continent.
Cultivating African Talent: The AMMI Legacy
While TIME highlights Moustapha’s ground-breaking work as Founder and CEO of Kera Health Platforms, his impact is deeply rooted in his commitment to academic excellence and youth empowerment at AIMS.
As the founder and director of the African Masters of Machine Intelligence (AMMI) at AIMS, Moustapha established the continent’s first dedicated graduate program in artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Driven by the conviction that world-class research can and must take place on African soil, Moustapha created an environment specifically designed to unlock the potential of young African scientists. Through AMMI, he built an academic sanctuary where the continent’s brightest minds engage with global AI leaders, master advanced research methodologies, and build local solutions for global challenges.
Transforming Health Equity
That same vision of leveraging technology to solve systemic challenges led Moustapha to found Kera Health Platforms. Through its flagship initiative, Sura, Cissé’s team uses artificial intelligence to streamline health insurance processes in West Africa reducing claim approval times from 120 days down to 30 seconds via accessible platforms like WhatsApp. By removing financial friction for clinics and patients alike, Sura is rapidly expanding access to quality care across Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and beyond.
A Legacy of Leadership
Moustapha’s journey exemplifies the core mission of the global AIMS Network: when high-level research infrastructure meets purposeful leadership, African scholars drive the next frontier of global innovation.
We take immense pride in Moustapha Cissé’s achievements and celebrate his ongoing dedication to training the next generation of African scientific leaders.