Lex Fridman (born 1983) is a Russian-American computer scientist and AI researcher associated with MIT who hosts the Lex Fridman Podcast, one of the most popular long-form interview shows in the world. He trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu for over a decade under Phil and Rick Migliarese at Balance Studios in Philadelphia, a Gracie-lineage academy, and was awarded his black belt by the Migliarese brothers, receiving his first degree in 2023. Fridman frequently discusses jiu-jitsu on his platform and has hosted major grappling figures such as John Danaher, making him an influential cultural ambassador who has drawn a large technology-oriented audience toward the sport.