How AI could help us talk to animals

Why researchers think we're close to getting interspecies chatbots.

AI researchers and biologists are teaming up to detect patterns in animal communication that are difficult, if not impossible, to observe with the human eye alone. The studies that have come out so far are steps towards what some AI companies see as a larger goal: building large language models to decode animal communication that is beyond the reach of human comprehension.

This video explains how they might do that, using the same tools that gave us text, image and translation tools for human language.

Here is the study about elephant names co-authored by Joyce Poole and Mickey Pardo:

Karen Bakker's book The Sounds of Life is a great read if you want to learn more about how biologists are taking advantage of advancements in sound technology to study animals:

We didn't cover it here, but there was an interesting breakthrough using AI to detect more sperm whale codas than ever before:

Here is a link to Yossi Yovel's bat study:

Here is the macaque monkey study:

Earth Species Project can be found here:

[fireaza]

Finally. We'll be able to address the elephant in the room.

[RuralJuror]

All fun and games until you leave the house and your dog starts pleading with you in English not to leave. I’d never leave the house out of guilt lol

[ruffmeow]

it's always surprised me that anyone ever doubted animals have feelings and talk

[harishjoshi-wfxe]

I am so excited to be alive in the 21st century and be able to see humanity break boundaries of what was thought to be impossible every other day

[jennifers]

Humans: We can finally talk to seagulls!
Seagulls: mine mine mine mine mine

[Ice_Karma]

Imagine going to all this trouble, and finding out some species just don't have anything interesting to say. Like how most morning bird calls are apparently variations on "MY tree! MY tree!"

[sommmeguy]

First conversation:
Animal: You said WHAT?!?!?

[adw]

She's such a dedicated and honorable scientist, It's not easy to give 50 years of hard work and studying animals in Africa. She loves animals and nature so much. There are not many scientists like her these days. Respect

[josueorgoaway]

All fun and games until a Chimpanzee shouts “NO!!!!”

[coreyrobinson]

Soo... how many years until we have collars like Dug's in "Up"?

[multiverseman]

The spider in your bathroom: *I KNOW WHAT YOU DID TO MY FAMILY.*

[persephonesplayroom]

Related but on another animal topic: Chickens will name and then use the name for each of their human caregivers individually, as well as different role call sounds for each chicken in their own flock. My spouse and I have our own names that were passed down from our former senior hen, who was our first chicken. We have 2 roosters who live indoors and came from another home, and they call us by the name they chose for us, which is different from the name our outdoor flocks call us. I'd love to be able to translate some of their other calls too, using a tech like this

[mihairx]

The pig at the farm, "brother may i have some oats"

[ВладимирФедосеев-бу]

As someone working in AI, this is an example of a good use case for AI. Not generating them high-res videos of nonsense just for the sake of it, or learn to "make" music just by learning from how the end result sounds, consuming unimaginable amount of electricty.

[AwesomeBoysJPTV]

Phineas and Ferb's Invention idea is starting to come true

[highro]

We could possibly be able to speak to elephants before GTA VI

[mgs_k]

"there is no way of knowing what is going through the Tigers mind. We don't have the technology"
Well now we do.
Michael Scott, a man ahead of his time

[dinujawickramarachchi]

We wish all the best for these research

[colbyandbrennen]

It would be wild to not only decode what animals are saying but also translate English into it

[CaCtuSnyan]

but what if the different elephants speak different accents of "elephant language"? like cows who have different accents in different regions