Introducing the 2026 MLCommons Rising Stars

The MLCommons Rising Stars program targets early-career researchers at the intersection of machine learning (ML) and systems, aiming to provide them with support, connections, and growth opportunities. Through this program, participants can join a vibrant global research community, connect with leading figures from academia and industry, and further enhance their technical skills and career development.

MLCommons has announced that the fourth MLCommons Rising Stars cohort is now finalized. This year, 39 outstanding early-career researchers from 26 institutions worldwide have been selected, emerging from a competitive pool of over 175 applicants. MLCommons stated that these researchers have demonstrated exceptional potential in ML, systems, and data systems research, with current achievements that are expected to influence the future direction of the field.

Research Directions: From Large Models to AI Infrastructure

This year's Rising Stars cohort reflects the depth and breadth of the new generation of talent in machine learning systems. Most selected researchers are senior Ph.D. students, primarily in their 3rd to 6th year, along with some postdoctoral researchers.

Their research topics are wide-ranging, including large language models, ML system efficiency, hardware-software co-design, trustworthy AI, multimodal learning, and applications in healthcare, cybersecurity, and scientific computing. Notably, many projects emphasize scalability, efficiency, and real-world deployment, reflecting a further shift toward system-centric and implementation-oriented machine learning innovation.

Globalization and Diversity Continue to Strengthen

This year's selectees come from leading institutions in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, showcasing the increasingly global and interdisciplinary nature of the ML research community. MLCommons notes that such international participation helps foster the exchange of ideas across different regions.

At the same time, the program continues to promote broader participation. This cohort includes researchers of diverse gender identities and backgrounds, with women and gender-diverse researchers accounting for 28% of the cohort.

Rising Stars Workshop to Be Held at AMD Headquarters in July

As part of the program, MLCommons will host the Rising Stars Workshop at AMD's headquarters in Santa Clara, California, on July 30–31. During the workshop, selected researchers will present their research, explore emerging opportunities, participate in career development sessions, and build lasting connections with peers and mentors from academia and industry.

MLCommons believes that this cohort overall reflects the growing importance of machine learning systems research in shaping the future of AI.

Vijay Janapa Reddi, Vice President of MLCommons and Professor at Harvard University, stated: "MLCommons Rising Stars focuses on researchers who are shaping the future of AI engineering. Their work spans the machine learning system stack, covering algorithms, models, systems, hardware, and scalable infrastructure. The rapid evolution of AI increasingly relies on the synergistic progress of these interconnected layers."

ML & Systems Rising Stars 2026

Below is the official image of the 2026 ML & Systems Rising Stars cohort, designed to recognize outstanding early-career researchers in machine learning and systems.

Acknowledgments

MLCommons congratulates all this year's Rising Stars and thanks all applicants for their interest and enthusiasm.

The program also thanks the Rising Stars organizers Abdulrahman Mahmoud (MBZUAI), Akanksha Atrey (Nokia Bell Labs), Muhammad Husnain Mubarik (AMD), Sercan Aygun (University of Louisiana at Lafayette), and Udit Gupta (Cornell Tech), as well as the broader organizing committee and program committee. Together, they completed the selection and organization of this outstanding cohort.

Additionally, MLCommons especially thanks Dave Graham (MLCommons) and Ralph Witting (AMD) for their significant support in bringing the program and workshop to fruition.