About
Daniel Ari Friedman is a multidisciplinary researcher, educator, and artist working at the intersection of biology, cognitive science, philosophy, complex systems, and computational modeling. As President and co-founder of the Active Inference Institute — a 501(c)(3) non-profit — he leads an open science community dedicated to learning, teaching, and applying Active Inference.
His research spans from the behavioral ecology and transcriptomics of ant colonies to theoretical frameworks for consciousness, conflict resolution, and cognitive security, complemented by artistic contributions including hundreds of pen-and-ink drawings and early NFT art (Curio Cards, 2017) on the Ethereum blockchain.
He holds a PhD in Ecology & Evolution from Stanford University (advisor: Deborah M. Gordon), completed an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship at UC Davis, and currently teaches Biology at College of the Redwoods. He is available for consulting, tutoring, speaking, and research collaboration worldwide.
Research Domains
Interconnected paths through the bibliography, software catalog, collaborators, and learning materials
Entomology & Social Insects
Harvester ants, collective behavior, dopamine regulation of foraging, brain gene expression. Cell, iScience, Communications Biology.
21 worksActive Inference & FEP
CEREBRUM, GNN, federated inference, Thoughtseeds, Bayesian modeling. With Karl Friston et al. Entropy, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.
28 worksCognitive Security
COGSEC.org, P3IF, narrative security, ATLAS. 3 books: IRT-20, NIM-21, CAT-22. Cognitive Integrity Framework.
20 worksArt, Philosophy & Synergetics
William Blake, Buckminster Fuller, quadray/IVM math, Partner Pen Play, and early Ethereum art NFTs.
15 worksComputational Frameworks
Python, Rust, Go, TypeScript, Julia. AI-native workspaces, steganography, research templates, and document tooling.
7 works · 48 reposGenetics & Biomedicine
Honey bee evolution, nuclear structure, gene expression variation, Ehrlichial infection mechanisms.
9 worksSelected Publications
Highlights from the catalog across 8 research domains
📚 Full bibliography (115 works) 📊 Google Scholar 🆔 ORCID Profile
Visual Art & NFTs
Early NFT artist on the Ethereum mainnet since May 9, 2017 — Curio Cards predated CryptoPunks by ~6 weeks
942 catalogued pen-and-ink drawings exploring science, consciousness, and complex systems. Published in Taschen's "On NFT" (2024).
🖼 Browse Full Gallery (942 Works) 🎨 Curio Cards 🏛 Christie's Lot 📷 Flickr Archive
Media & Appearances
Podcasts, conferences, published interviews, courses, and press
Teaching & Education
University courses, online courses, and Active Inference Institute programs
AII Textbook Group
10 cohorts through 2026. Deep study of the Active Inference textbook (Parr, Pezzulo, Friston 2022 and Namjoshi 2026).
AII Programs
Internship (since 2022), Fellows Program (5 fellows by Nov 2024), Mentorship Program (2024).
700+ Livestreams
500+ Active Inference Journal sessions + 200+ personal YouTube livestreams on research & art.
Connect & Collaborate
Available for consulting, tutoring, speaking, and research collaboration
Research Consulting
Active Inference · Bayesian modeling · Computational biology · Cognitive security · Multi-agent systems
Get in TouchTutoring & Mentorship
Active Inference fundamentals · Python/Rust AI frameworks · Scientific writing · Bayesian methods
Get in TouchSpeaking & Workshops
Conference keynotes · Team workshops on AI/ML · Course development · Institutional training
Get in TouchResearch Collaboration
Joint publications · Framework co-development · Grant partnerships · Open-source contributions
Get in Touch