PeopleofSuperintelligence

Public voice

Ashley Llorens

Also known as SoulStice

Ashley Llorens leads Microsoft Research Accelerator and has worked across AI research and U.S. policy. He earned a master's in electrical engineering at Illinois and released his first hip-hop album as SoulStice in 2003. At Johns Hopkins APL, he led an AI and robotics center and joined a national security task force before moving to Microsoft as a Distinguished Scientist in 2021. Commerce appointed him to NAIAC in 2022, which advises the U.S. president and the National AI Initiative Office on AI. In March 2025 he opened Microsoft's Fusion Summit with a vision for AI to drive sustainability; in January 2026 he discussed physical AI as Microsoft introduced Rho-alpha.

Now at
Microsoft
Works
27
Citations
320
h-index
5

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 2003

    An engineering degree and first album

    At Illinois, he completes a master's in electrical engineering and releases his first hip-hop album in 2003, while pursuing music as recording artist SoulStice.

  2. By 2017

    Leading APL's Intelligent Systems Center

    By 2017, he leads the Intelligent Systems Center at APL and stewards its research and development work in robotics and artificial intelligence.

  3. 2019

    A task force on AI and security

    In 2019, he joins the Center for a New American Security's Task Force on Artificial Intelligence and National Security.

  4. 2021

    Joining Microsoft as a Distinguished Scientist

    He joins Microsoft in 2021 as a Distinguished Scientist after serving as founding director of APL's Intelligent Systems Center for machine learning, robotics, and neuroscience.

  5. April 2022

    Joining the National AI Advisory Committee

    In April 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce appoints him as an inaugural member of NAIAC, which advises the U.S. president and the National AI Initiative Office on AI issues.

  6. March 2025

    Opening a fusion research summit

    He opens Microsoft Research's inaugural Fusion Summit in March 2025 with his vision for a self-reinforcing system that uses AI to drive sustainability.

  7. January 2026

    Discussing Rho-alpha and physical AI

    In January 2026, he describes how vision-language-action models can help robots perceive, reason, and act with increasing autonomy in less structured settings as Microsoft introduces Rho-alpha, its first robotics model derived from Phi.

  8. As of October 2026

    Leading Microsoft Research Accelerator

    As of October 2026, he leads Microsoft Research Accelerator as corporate vice president and managing director, with programs that accelerate research and innovation.

Sources and credits

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  1. Alumnus finds simultaneous successes ece.illinois.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  2. APL’s Chief of Intelligent Systems Weighs in on Artificial Intelligence jhuapl.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  3. Ashley Llorens at Microsoft Research microsoft.com. Checked 15 October 2026.
  4. U.S. Department of Commerce Appoints 27 Members to National AI Advisory Committee nist.gov. Checked 15 October 2026.
  5. Microsoft Fusion Summit explores how AI can accelerate fusion research microsoft.com. Checked 15 October 2026.
  6. Advancing AI for the physical world microsoft.com. Checked 15 October 2026.