Computer Vision Expert Duncan Curtis Joins Sama Leadership Team as Senior Vice President of Product

Curtis to Propel Sama’s Computer Vision, Autonomous Vehicle and Green Technology Innovations

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sama, the leader in providing high-quality training data for ambitious AI, announced today that Duncan Curtis has joined the company as Senior Vice President of Product. He returns to Sama after a period in the mobility industry, making vehicles safer, greener and more connected. Computer vision is at the core of autonomous vehicle technology, and Curtis will lead Sama’s product team as the company hones its focus on the computer vision market.

Curtis has extensive experience in developing AI and computer vision technologies for autonomous vehicles. He previously led product management at autonomous vehicle startup, Zoox, where he applied automotive, robotics, and renewable energy technologies to address the challenges of autonomous mobility.

Earlier, at Google Play, Curtis impacted the gaming experiences of more than one billion daily active users. His bachelor’s degree in computer software engineering comes from Queensland University of Technology.

"I’m energized by returning to Sama, particularly with the company’s renewed emphasis on computer vision, something I’m passionate about," said Curtis. "I enjoy building technologies that change the world. Sama’s impact sourcing is also important to me, providing opportunities and transferable technical skills in East Africa."

Curtis will be based at Sama corporate headquarters in San Francisco and will report directly to Wendy Gonzalez, CEO.

Said Gonzalez, ”The Sama team couldn’t be happier about Duncan’s return to the fold. His technological expertise will help ensure we’re continually offering the innovative features the computer vision market needs. Also importantly, Duncan understands the culture and values that drive the Sama team to success.”

About Sama

Sama provides high-quality training data that powers AI technology. The company’s platform is trusted by leading companies such as Google, NVIDIA, GM, and Walmart, to develop accurate machine learning models. Sama specializes in image, video, language, and sensor data annotation and validation for machine learning algorithms and has experience in a variety of industries including autonomous transportation, medtech, agriculture, and retail. Driven by a mission to expand opportunities for underserved individuals through the digital economy, Sama is a certified B-Corp and has helped more than 60,000 people lift themselves out of poverty. Its training and employment program were recently validated by an MIT-led Randomized Controlled Trial. For more information, visit www.sama.com.