SoundCloud today announced the appointment of Dr. Steve Abrams as Chief Technology Officer, effective immediately. Abrams will report to CEO Eliah Seton and lead SoundCloud’s global engineering organization, playing a central role in advancing the company’s technology and innovation strategy.
Abrams was selected to lead SoundCloud’s next phase of technical evolution as the company continues to invest in AI, machine learning, and deeper artist-to-fan connection. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment as SoundCloud scales its creator-first platform and strengthens its technology foundation.
“Steve is an exceptional technology leader with a rare combination of deep technical expertise, strategic vision, and experience building platforms at global scale,” said Eliah Seton, CEO of SoundCloud. “He understands how to apply AI and data responsibly to unlock creativity, strengthen trust, and drive meaningful value for creators and fans alike.”
Abrams most recently served as Senior Director of Engineering at YouTube Music (Google), where he led the Knowledge & Discovery organization. In that role, he built and scaled teams responsible for artist tools, personalized recommendations, and AI-driven music understanding. Under his leadership, YouTube Music’s subscription business grew by more than 500%.
Prior to Google, Abrams held senior leadership roles at some of the world’s most influential technology and data-driven organizations. He was part of the executive team that helped launch IBM Watson, bringing artificial intelligence and cognitive computing to enterprise use cases at global scale. He later built and led United Technologies’ data science and predictive analytics function across business units, driving measurable outcomes through AI and machine learning, and leading due diligence on the acquisition of data science firm Predikto. Earlier in his career, he also architected large-scale data and transparency platforms at Bridgewater Associates, under founder Ray Dalio.
At SoundCloud, Abrams will focus on elevating engineering excellence and accelerating the company’s innovation roadmap, with an emphasis on AI and machine learning advancement, platform trust and integrity, and building products that strengthen creator success and fan engagement for the long term.
Beyond his professional achievements, Steve is a lifelong musician primarily a keyboard player who also dabbles in guitar and the holder of 31 patents. Community. With Abrams’ leadership, SoundCloud is positioned to continue pushing the boundaries at the intersection of music, technology, and creativity.
