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Probing the Depths with AI
William Dong talks about his journey through the MSAI program to the head of artificial intelligence for acoustics at ocean exploration company ThayerMahan.
William Dong
In a world where more than 70 percent of the surface is covered by ocean and 80 percent of that ocean remains unexplored, William Dong (MSAI '20) is listening.
Dong is head of artificial intelligence (AI) for acoustics at ThayerMahan, a company focused on learning the hidden secrets from the ocean's depths – and ensuring no one is using the murky water to threaten important natural resources or the United States' security.
To confront those challenges, Dong applies the lessons he learned in Northwestern Engineering's Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (MSAI) program.
"Becoming proficient in using AI is no doubt going to be one of the top skill sets that emerge over the next few years,” Dong said. “Those who will be able to harness the latest technologies will have a huge competitive advantage."
Dong felt he had that advantage when he graduated from MSAI and co-founded Wingman Defense, a startup focused on building AI capabilities to help solve tough government challenges.
ThayerMahan was one of Dong's clients; the company went on to acquire Wingman Defense to build out its own AI team.
"With the acquisition of Wingman Defense, ThayerMahan completed its goal of vertically integrating its ability to collect, curate, disseminate, and apply machine learning tools to ocean acoustic information and precision seabed survey," ThayerMahan president and CEO Michael Connor said in 2021 after the acquisition. "Wingman's AI capability will help ThayerMahan's global customers in government and industry improve the efficiency with which they monitor the safety and security of ports, harbors, seabed infrastructure, marine protected areas, and vital sea lanes."
Today, Dong is doing that.
His role focuses on probing the depths of the ocean with AI, and he's using technology to untangle the often complicated interwoven sounds found underwater.
"AI can help detect acoustic phenomena that humans normally can't," Dong said, which is important for research and to keep species safer in shipping lanes." The technology's reach goes beyond that, specifically into matters of national security. "Sound waves travel and behave differently based on the environment they are emitted from,” Dong said. “We can use AI to unravel all the characteristics and details from a signal – anything from the type of environment the source is in, all the way to the approximate location and identification of the source."
Working with innovative technology wasn't always Dong's vision. Prior to applying to MSAI, he thought he would pursue a PhD in economics, his undergraduate major.
Instead, he pivoted.
"I didn't have any prior AI or machine learning experience but was fundamentally interested in what the program had to offer, as well as the prospect of having a rigorous graduate education without committing four more years of my life and getting a great career head start," Dong said. "I also just knew this would be one of the major technologies to make an impact on the world."
Dong is witnessing that impact firsthand.
With the rise of countless AI tools and applications, Dong believes society is at an important crossroads. One road leads to a future where AI can help solve many of the world's problems, while the other heads toward a world where AI causes more problems than it solves.
“Hopefully, our world's leaders can find the right balance between regulations and innovative freedom," Dong said. "What an exciting time to be alive."