Johan Schalkwyk joins Sense as Strategic Advisor on Artificial Intelligence

Former Google Fellow in AI brings additional leadership to data and AI-focused engineering team

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Sense, the leader in embedded intelligence that transforms the relationship between people, homes, and the grid, today announced Johan Schalkwyk has joined the company as Strategic Advisor on Artificial Intelligence. Schalkwyk, who previously served as a Google Fellow developing leading-edge AI models, brings decades of experience from the frontlines of the AI revolution to the essential work of the global energy transition.

“We are at a critical juncture in the path to decarbonization,” Schalkwyk said. “No hand engineered algorithm can handle the scale of the needs we have within the grid. But through high-quality data and the power of machine-learning based AI, we can invent new tools for utilities and consumers that move the transition along more quickly.”

Prior to his work as a Strategic Advisor at Sense, Schalkwyk spent much of his career at Google. At Google DeepMind, he played a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of multimodal perception and pioneering advancements in Large Language Models. As Google’s Speech Area Tech Lead, he steered strategic research investments spanning speech recognition and synthesis, driving innovation that transcends borders and languages. In 2008, Schalkwyk revolutionized user interaction with the world’s first voice-enabled search experience, Google Voice Search. His leadership propelled Google’s speech team to the forefront of technological innovation, introducing groundbreaking concepts such as on-device processing and neural models across a spectrum of products—from Google Assistant to YouTube—now serving users in over 80 languages.

“At Sense, we have been at the forefront of using data and machine learning at the edge of the grid to provide value to consumers and to the grid itself. We think this intelligence will be a key component of the global energy transition and Johan’s deep experience in the AI revolution will help us get there,” said Sense CEO Mike Phillips. “We are embedding intelligence in the latest generation of smart meters to create engagement between utilities and consumers, so they can work together to manage demand, efficiency, and safety. Johan’s expertise and leadership is a great addition to our team, and I can’t wait to see what we build together.”

Sense uses machine-learning based AI to give consumers unparalleled, real time visibility and control of their home energy use through the Sense Home App. That same machine-learning also helps Sense provide grid intelligence to utilities, using data from the edge to create real-time visibility of the entire distribution grid for operations and safety. With Sense, utilities can Identify and localize faults, track power flow, and plan for future electrification. To learn more about Sense and how the company is leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence to support global electrification goals, visit sense.com/utilities.

About Sense
Sense is making the energy transition accessible to everyone. Sense’s embedded intelligence redefines how utilities and consumers interact with homes and the grid. By partnering with meter manufacturers, Sense delivers software driven by high-resolution data that’s vital for utilities to better engage with customers, detect devices, balance load, forecast demand and identify anomalies. Our consumer-facing app makes homes smarter, empowering home dwellers to make better use of their energy, lower electricity bills, and reduce their carbon footprint. Learn more at https://sense.com.

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SOURCE Sense