AI Breakthroughs in Decoding Animal Communication: A Step Towards Interspecies Dialogue

AI could help us "translate" the language of animals - Softonic

The use of AI could expand the vocabularies we know of animals Shane Gero, a biologist specializing in cetaceans from Carleton University in Canada, has been researching whale communication for over 20 years. According to his work, sperm whales have specific sounds that identify their families and use "dialects" depending on their location. Although various species like dolphins, elephants, and birds also use patterned sounds to communicate, understanding these subtleties is a challenging task for humans. This is precisely where artificial intelligence comes into play, as it is capable of distinguishing these small variations. According to a recent article in Nature, in the past year, several AI-supported studies have revealed that African elephants and common marmosets assign names to their companions. Additionally, various machine learning tools are mapping the calls of crows, allowing for the exploration of animal self-awareness. Despite these advances, translating animal sounds remains a challenge of enormous proportions. "It is a big assumption to think that we can apply that technology to other species and obtain translations," explains David Gruber, founder of the CETI Project (Cetacean Translation Initiative), focused on the acoustic communication of sperm whales. Gero, with funding from the CETI Project, has collected data from more than 30 families of sperm whales in the Caribbean. These whales, which forage at depths of up to 2,000 meters, use sound clicks called "codas" to communicate. Each group, led by females, has unique diets, behaviors, and dialects. Differences in the rhythm of the codas create cultural boundaries between clans, according to Gero. Thanks to AI, analyzing these sounds has become more efficient, allowing for the identification of complete conversations and subtle variations like "rubatos" and "ornaments" (terms borrowed from music). In parallel, Mickey Pardo, a behavioral ecologist, has demonstrated that African elephants emit unique sounds that could be names. Using AI models, he discovered that these sounds have a 27.5% accuracy in identifying individuals. In similar experiments, neuroscientist David Omer found that tamarins from the same family share acoustic characteristics when "naming" each other. The aim of these studies is not only to understand these languages but also to expand animal vocabularies, such as location terms in elephants. AI tools are not only deciphering patterns but also illuminating the rich world of animal communication, with great potential to promote species conservation.

The Dr. Dolittle Dream Team: Can We Talk To Animals Using AI?

For centuries, humans have dreamt about talking to animals. From the tales of Dr. Dolittle to scientific studies on animal behavior, there has always been a desire to know what animals are saying. With advancements in AI, this may soon be the case. Researchers are now using AI to decode animal languages, which may allow for two-way communication between species. has revolutionized many fields, especially language translation and communication technologies. The techniques are applied to animal communication by scientists to understand how animals transmit messages through sounds, body language, and other signals. This means that artificial intelligence can pass through many volumes of data created by various species, which may be impossible for a human. The Earth Species Project (ESP) is the leading group conducting research in this area. Founded by and technologists, ESP aims to utilize machine learning to understand animal communication. Katie Zacarian, the CEO of ESP, stated, "We are on the verge of applying the advances we see in human language to animal communication." This progress could enable us to have genuine conversations with animals.