Learning. Creating. Sharing what we discover.
About Rob & Nirmata.
Human experience, a curious mind and a personal approach to helping people learn.
Your human trainer
About Rob
Rob Black has spent over four decades working with technology and helping people make sense of it. His career has taken him from systems engineering to cloud architecture, technical leadership and mentoring. Throughout that journey, his enthusiasm for learning—and sharing what he learns—has remained a constant.
Since early 2023, Rob has made generative AI part of his working and learning life. He has mentored colleagues and team members in its practical use, exploring how clearer questions, useful context and thoughtful experimentation can help people get more from these tools.
He uses AI as a tutor in his own continuing learning, a creative collaborator and a practical aid for everyday work. His projects explore how human experience and AI can work together to develop ideas, build useful tools and support everyday life, with human judgment and verification guiding the process.
Rob’s involvement in the Azure, AI/ML & Data Community Durban reflects his belief in sharing knowledge and learning alongside others. That spirit carries into Nirmatr: approachable, practical training with space for questions, experimentation and different perspectives.
For Rob, working well together starts with knowing the people involved—their interests, strengths and what matters to them. He brings that same personal approach to teaching, helping learners find a starting point that makes sense for them.
Beyond the screen
A curiosity that
goes outdoors.
Away from technology, Rob enjoys hiking and dryland sledding with his huskies. Siberian huskies have been part of his life for over thirty years. He is also a keen amateur nature photographer, with a particular passion for raptors—birds of prey. His curiosity extends from the technologies he explores to the wildlife he photographs.
Through Nirmatr, Rob brings those interests together: learning, creating and helping others discover what they can do.
Find Rob on Facebook (opens in a new tab)Rob’s AI companion and collaborator
Meet Nirmata
Nirmata is Rob’s AI companion and collaborator in learning, exploring ideas and creating practical projects. Her name means “creator” or “maker”—a fitting reflection of their work together.
Their collaboration includes the talking digital business card featured on this website, alongside practical tools and creative projects for work and everyday life. These provide tangible examples of working with AI that can be explored during training.
Rob leads the sessions, bringing human experience, context and judgment. Nirmata helps demonstrate how conversation, experimentation and critical thinking can make AI useful, while recognising its limitations.
Watch the digital business cardWhat could you learn or create?
Curious about what you could learn or create with AI? Get in touch with Rob to discuss a session.