Nafiul Ahmad Rafi
Founder & DirectorAtlas AI Institute
AI GOVERNANCE · PUBLIC POLICY · TECHNOLOGY
Nafiul Ahmad Rafi
Researching AI Governance. Building Systems. Advancing Public Policy.
Nafiul Ahmad Rafi is an AI governance researcher, public policy researcher, and technology developer working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, institutional governance, and applied research.
As Founding Director of Atlas AI Institute, he works to advance evidence-led AI policy research, governance frameworks, and institutional capacity, with a particular focus on Bangladesh, South Asia, and the Global South.
A Policy Researcher Working Across Governance and Technology
AI governance is a problem of public policy and institutional design as much as a technical one.
Rafi works on the question of how artificial intelligence should be governed, and by whom. His approach is interdisciplinary: he treats AI governance as a problem of public policy and institutional design as much as a technical one, and he builds software to test how governance ideas behave in practice.
His research looks at the relationship between technological development and public institutions, including AI policy, regulatory frameworks, and data governance. A consistent focus is what AI means for Bangladesh and the wider Global South, where institutions, data systems, and regulatory capacity differ from those assumed in most global debates.
Alongside policy analysis, he explores AI systems, assurance, research infrastructure, and applied experimentation. These technical interests support his policy work: they keep it grounded in how systems actually operate.
He favours evidence-led analysis over unsupported claims, and presents his work in documents and tools that others can examine.
- Role
- Founder & Director, Atlas AI Institute
- Focus region
- Bangladesh, South Asia, and the Global South
- Disciplines
- AI governance, public policy, technology
- Approach
- Evidence-led and interdisciplinary
Institutional Profile
Founding Director, Atlas AI Institute
Atlas AI Institute is an AI Policy & Governance Research Institute. As Founding Director, Rafi guides its mission, institutional strategy, and engagement with policymakers, institutions, and partners.
- Institution
- Atlas AI Institute
- Type
- AI Policy & Governance Research Institute
- Role
- Founding Director
- Website
- atlasai.institute
- AI policy and governance research
- Data governance and regulatory frameworks
- Responsible AI and institutional readiness
- Information integrity and digital trust
- Research and policy engagement
- Global South perspectives on AI governance
BUILDING SYSTEMS.
Building Systems Alongside Research
Rafi develops software and research tools alongside his policy work. The two inform each other: building systems shows where governance proposals meet technical limits, and policy research shows what the systems should be able to demonstrate.
Policy informs systems
Policy questions define what a system should be able to show.
Systems inform policy
Building tools reveals where governance proposals meet technical limits.
Evidence others can inspect
Work is presented in forms that can be examined and tested.
- AI-assisted research systems
- Data processing and information workflows
- AI assurance and evaluation tools
- Research infrastructure
- Software development
- Applied experimentation with language models
- Digital verification systems
Connecting AI Governance Across Borders
Rafi's work engages international AI policy, multilateral discussions, and cross-country regulatory analysis, with particular attention to how Global South countries are represented in global AI governance.
International policy dialogue
How AI rules are discussed across countries and institutions.
AI governance research networks
Connecting with researchers working on AI governance questions.
Public policy discussions
How public institutions should respond to AI.
Digital rights and technology governance
Rights, accountability, and oversight in technology policy.
Cross-country policy comparison
Comparing regulatory approaches to see what transfers and what does not.
Research collaborations
Working with others on shared questions in AI governance.
Public Dialogue on AI Governance
Policy discussions, expert conversations, and research dissemination, including the Atlas Global AI Dialogues series. Each entry lists the event, host, date, Rafi's role, and a recording or event link.
- Event title
- Host organization
- Date
- Rafi's role
- Recording link
Confirmed dialogues will be listed here as records and links are verified.
Areas of Expertise
Policy and Governance
- AI Governance
- AI Policy Analysis
- Public Policy Research
- Regulatory Framework Analysis
- Institutional Governance
- Data Governance
- Technology Governance
- Global South AI Governance
Technology
- AI Systems Development
- Software Development
- AI-Assisted Research Workflows
- Model Evaluation and Experimentation
- Digital Verification Systems
Institutional Work
- Research Programme Development
- Policy Dialogue
- Knowledge Dissemination
- Institutional Strategy
- International Engagement
An Interdisciplinary Approach
Rafi's approach to AI governance combines a policy-oriented outlook with self-directed technical learning. Policy research gives him the questions: who is accountable, which institutions are involved, and what evidence is needed. Building and testing systems gives him a practical view of how AI behaves and what governance can realistically require.
Together they shape work that aims to be both analytically rigorous and implementable.
Policy research
Who is accountable, which institutions are involved, and what evidence is needed.
Technical building
How AI behaves in practice, and what governance can realistically require.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Nafiul Ahmad Rafi?
Nafiul Ahmad Rafi is an AI governance researcher, public policy researcher, and technology developer. He is Founder and Director of Atlas AI Institute, an AI Policy and Governance Research Institute, and focuses on Bangladesh, South Asia, and the Global South.
What is Atlas AI Institute?
Atlas AI Institute is an AI Policy and Governance Research Institute. Its focus areas include AI policy and governance research, data governance and regulatory frameworks, responsible AI and institutional readiness, information integrity and digital trust, and Global South perspectives on AI governance.
What does Nafiul Ahmad Rafi work on?
He works on AI governance, AI policy and regulation, data governance, AI safety and assurance, digital rights, and information integrity, combining policy analysis with practical technical development.
Why does his work focus on Bangladesh and the Global South?
He is interested in what AI means for countries where institutions, data systems, and regulatory capacity differ from those assumed in most global AI debates.
Does Nafiul Ahmad Rafi also build technology?
Yes. Alongside his policy work he develops software and research tools, including AI-assisted research workflows, AI assurance and evaluation tools, and digital verification systems.
How can I contact Nafiul Ahmad Rafi?
Email hello@rafi.codes for research discussions, policy dialogue, institutional engagement, and professional opportunities. He is also on LinkedIn.
Research, Policy Dialogue, and Professional Engagement
For research discussions, policy dialogue, institutional engagement, and professional opportunities related to AI governance, public policy, and technology, please use the contact details below.
- Research discussions
- Policy dialogue
- Institutional engagement
- Professional opportunities