Steven VanRoekel has been appointed as the CEO of the Earth Species Project (ESP), a non-profit dedicated to understanding animal communication through artificial intelligence. The organization aims to explore communication in various species, including beluga whales and carrion crows. Based in Bend, Oregon, VanRoekel brings extensive experience from his previous role as U.S. Chief Information Officer under President Obama and his tenure at Microsoft.
In his comments, VanRoekel expressed optimism about ESP's potential breakthroughs, likening their work to historic scientific revolutions. He emphasized that insights gained from animal communication could lead to significant advancements in how humanity interacts with the natural world.
In related news, Krzysztof Duleba has transitioned to LinkedIn as a distinguished engineer after an 18-year career at Google. Duleba's focus will be on enhancing the company's infrastructure during a pivotal transformation period. Meanwhile, Dennis Stansbury, who has spent over 18 years at Amazon, is stepping down from his role as principal product manager for Prime Video. He plans to take a break to contemplate his future endeavors.