​The Presentation

​Katie Zacarian, CEO of Earth Species Project (ESP), will share an in-depth look at how cutting-edge AI is unlocking the secrets of animal communication and paving the way for a transformative relationship between humans and the natural world. 

​She will share ESP’s progress over the last year including key milestones like NatureLM—a foundation model poised to accelerate the entire field, much like GPT-4 did for the human domain. She’ll discuss the challenges of building AI tools for bioacoustics, current bottlenecks, and how ESP is actively collaborating with partners on decode projects.

​Additionally, Katie will outline ESP’s roadmap for the future, highlighting where the community—animal advocates, tech professionals, and citizen scientists—can join the effort.

​About Katie

​Katie Zacarian is the CEO and Co-Founder of Earth Species Project (ESP), a non-profit using AI to decode animal communication and foster a deeper connection with nature. Previously, she worked on tracking technologies for researchers in the Sumatran jungle, focusing on solving practical challenges for conservationists on the ground. Katie is deeply driven by her passion and respect for the natural world and spends much of her spare time in nature: surfing, stargazing, and studying the systems and organisms that shape our planet. Whether she is swimming with whales or fighting for women’s equality in surfing, she has dedicated her life to understanding and listening to the natural world.

​Event Details

​The presentation will start promptly at 3 PM PST, followed by a Q&A session. We’re thrilled to welcome Katie as she highlights the groundbreaking progress made by the Earth Species Project, a leader in advancing AI for animals. This is an event you won’t want to miss!

​Want more events like this?

​March 1-2 - Join for the AI for Animals Conference (in-person and virtual) - use code ESP2025 for 30% off
Feb 10 - Tune in to Lightning Talks (virtual)