Ariel Fernández (born Ariel Fernández Stigliano, April 8, 1957) is an Argentine-American physical chemist and mathematician. He obtained a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from Yale University in record time and held the Karl F. Hasselmann Endowed Chair Professorship in Engineering at Rice University until his retirement. He was also an adjunct professor of computer science at the University of Chicago. To date, he has published over 500 scientific papers in professional journals and has also authored nine books on physical chemistry, molecular medicine, artificial intelligence, mathematical cosmology, and mathematical physics. Additionally, he holds several patents on technological innovation. Fernández is a member of the National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET) and, since 2018, heads the Daruma Institute for Applied Intelligence, the research arm of AF Innovation, a consultancy based in Argentina and the United States.