Earth Species Project

🐦 Zebra finches are prolific communicators with rich, nuanced vocal patterns. In our research partnership with Logan James and Sarah Woolley at McGill University, we’re building computational models that can both understand and reproduce the intricate communication patterns of a zebra finch. The central question of the research: can we develop models that not only interact like a real bird, but also result in live birds responding with the expected behavior? Read more about this project and our larger “why” in The Associated Press. A huge thank you to James Pollard for the deep dive. https://lnkd.in/gU5hEFaT This work wouldn’t be possible without the visionary support of Reid Hoffman and the Waverley Street Foundation, who believe in the transformative potential of decoding the languages of our fellow species. #AI #AnimalCommunication #EarthSpeciesProject

🌟 We’re thrilled to announce that our paper, BEBE (Bio-logger Ethogram Benchmark), has been accepted and published by peer-reviewed journal Movement Ecology! BEBE addresses a critical gap in ethology research: the lack of a common framework for comparing machine learning techniques applied to bio-logger data. With 1654 hours of data spanning nine taxa, BEBE is the largest and most diverse publicly available benchmark of its kind. This foundational tool reflects our commitment to advancing the field of ethology. We’re excited to see how the community will continue to build on this work. 📚 See the paper here: https://lnkd.in/geBWgran  📈 And explore the Github repository: https://lnkd.in/dkhmK__D Congratulations to ESP authors including Benjamin Hoffman, Maddie Cusimano, and Katherine Zacarian. And huge thanks to our academic partners and biologger experts who have made this work possible. #MachineLearning #Ethology #AnimalBehavior #EarthSpeciesProject

Happy New Year from all of us at Earth Species Project! ESP and our latest model NatureLM was recently featured in Axios after CEO Katherine Zacarian's talk at the Axios AI Summit. Big thanks to Ina Fried for a great discussion. Give it a read and a watch: https://lnkd.in/emkjtQVA

🌍 More Exciting Hiring News! We're growing our team in 2025 and seeking an ambitious Research Advocate to bridge the gap between our groundbreaking AI tools and the biology community. This role involves translating complex research into accessible content, engaging with ethologists as beta testers, and fostering adoption of our models. ✨ Bring your technical communication skills to our global mission to transform how humanity connects with the natural world. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gNF3UgCV #AI #AnimalCommunication #EarthSpeciesProject #Hiring

🌍 We're Hiring! We’re looking for a Strategic Partnerships Manager to forge relationships with leading institutions, manage impactful pilot projects, and amplify our mission. If you are a motivated, dynamic relationship builder and impact geek excited by the idea of using AI to better understand our fellow species and deliver transformative change for the way humans relate to nature - check out the job posting and apply today! 💼 Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gkSQzYyA #AI #AnimalCommunication #Conservation #EarthSpeciesProject #Hiring https://lnkd.in/gkSQzYyA

Our CEO Katherine Zacarian is speaking at the #AxiosAISummit tomorrow, sharing the latest on our work. Tune in tomorrow at 2:57pm PT: https://lnkd.in/gHtnGVBT

Our work was recently featured in Nature Portfolio, showcasing the unique approach we’re taking to decoding animal communication. We’re building generalizable foundation models—large-scale AI systems trained not just on animal communication data but also on human speech, music, and other environmental sounds. These models are designed to uncover patterns in data across species, enabling us to identify meaningful communication even in unlabelled data. 🐦⬛ Our collaboration with University of León on carrion crow vocalizations exemplifies how these tools can reveal insights into complex animal repertoires. Read the article: https://lnkd.in/dbCP_sDx #AI #FoundationModels #AnimalCommunication #EarthSpeciesProject

Our work was recently featured in Nature Portfolio, showcasing the unique approach we’re taking to decoding animal communication. We’re building generalizable foundation models—large-scale AI systems trained not just on animal communication data but also on human speech, music, and other environmental sounds. These models are designed to uncover patterns in data across species, enabling us to identify meaningful communication even in unlabelled data. 🐦⬛ Our collaboration with University of León on carrion crow vocalizations exemplifies how these tools can reveal insights into complex animal repertoires. Read the article: https://lnkd.in/dbCP_sDx #AI #FoundationModels #AnimalCommunication #EarthSpeciesProject

ESP is proud to have signed this new Declaration on Animal Dignity on Animal Rights Day. If we want to address the biodiversity and climate crises we are going to have to think differently about our relationship with nature, and rethinking how we treat our fellow species will be at the heart of that shift.

How can artificial intelligence help us listen to nature? At the Dubai Future Forum next week, our Director of Impact Jane Lawton will join global thought leaders for a panel discussion on the ways AI is transforming our ability to connect with the natural world. Joining Jane are: 🌿 Koert van Mensvoort, Founder & CEO, Next Nature 🤖 Abdelrahman AlMahmoud, UAE Office on AI 🎙️ Moderated by Ariel Muller Ariel Muller, Global Director of Futures, Forum for the Future Together, they’ll unpack the exciting possibilities of technology as a bridge between humanity and the ecosystems we depend on.