Aza Raskin on interspecies communication, empathy, and AI’s next frontier

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Oct 22, 2025

Aza Raskin, co-founder and CEO of the Earth Species Project, dives into the fascinating realm of animal communication and empathy. He explains how AI can decode the languages of species like dolphins and crows, revealing their complex social structures and innovative behaviors. Aza shares insights on communal rearing practices in crows and the groundbreaking implications of recognizing animal intelligence. This enlightening conversation redefines our perspective on the natural world and challenges us to become better listeners.

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INSIGHT

Nonhuman Cultures Are Deep And Ancient

Whales and dolphins have long-standing cultures and dialects maintained for millions of years.
Learning those languages could shift humanity's moral and cultural perspective.

INSIGHT

Most Crow Calls Were Invisible To Science

Crows in communal groups rear young collectively and teach dialects to newcomers.
About 70% of their calls are quiet, intimate sounds scientists previously overlooked.

ANECDOTE

Dolphins Innovate Together On Cue

A 1994 study taught dolphins a gesture meaning 'innovate' and another meaning 'do it together'.
Dolphins coordinated, exchanged sonic information, and performed novel synchronized tricks on command.

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Can AI help us better understand animals and, if it could, what might we discover? This week’s episode was recorded live at the 2025 Masters of Scale Summit where Reid and Aria sat down with Aza Raskin, co-founder and CEO of the Earth Species Project. Aza and his team are using AI to decode the languages and cultures of non-human species. From dolphins that invent new tricks together to crows that raise each other’s young in communal “villages,” Aza reveals the startling complexity of animal communication and what it teaches us about our own. During the course of their conversation, Reid, Aria and Aza explore why recognizing the intelligence of the animal kingdom might spark a new Copernican Revolution, one that changes not just science, but who we believe ourselves as a species to be. It’s a thought provoking journey through language, empathy, and the limits of human perspective that will make you listen to the natural world a little differently.

For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/

Topics:

00:00 – Live introduction from the Masters of Scale Summit

00:58 – Aza Raskin explains the Earth Species Project and its mission

03:03 – How AI can decode animal language and culture

05:18 – Crows, whales, and dolphins—evidence of communication and community

07:32 – What we’ve missed by only “hearing the shouts” of other species

08:30 – Dolphins learning to innovate together and what it reveals about intelligence

09:57 – Elephants’ overlapping calls and the idea of “communal grammar”

12:33 – From speaking to listening: the ethics of interspecies understanding

14:23 – Names, self-awareness, and identity across dolphins, elephants, and belugas

16:05 – Animal rituals, drum languages, and AI’s early attempts at conversation

18:10 – Animal Language Processing as science’s next frontier

20:38 – The moral shift: what animals teach us about empathy, AI, and responsibility

Possible is an award-winning podcast that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. Most of all, it asks: what if, in the future, everything breaks humanity's way? Tune in for grounded and speculative takes on how technology—and, in particular, AI—is inspiring change and transforming the future. Hosted by Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger, each episode features an interview with an ambitious builder or deep thinker on a topic, from art to geopolitics and from healthcare to education. These conversations also showcase another kind of guest: AI. Each episode seeks to enhance and advance our discussion about what humanity could possibly get right if we leverage technology—and our collective effort—effectively.