AI Startup Aims to Enable Human-Animal Communication

Experts predict that artificial intelligence will soon allow humans to communicate with both domestic and wild animals. The Earth Species Project anticipates a breakthrough within the next 12-36 months.

Researchers worldwide are using portable digital recorders to capture the sounds of animals and birds. Some of these sounds are too quiet for humans to detect without specialized equipment.

These sound databases will be utilized by artificial intelligence to decode and translate them into words. The Earth Species Project is cataloging the “vocal repertoire” of pets, as well as crows, whales, and bats.

Project co-founder Aza Raskin believes that creating vocalizations will take no more than a year.

“Can we use AI to mimic animal sounds to respond to them? I think in the next 12-36 months, we will likely be able to start communicating with them!” Raskin stated.

According to the scientist, the main interest lies not in creating an artificial whale or crow that communicates with its species, but in the ability to engage in dialogue, understanding the conversation.

In addition to sounds, AI will be able to interpret animal expressions. Researchers from the University of Lincoln are using neural networks to classify and understand pet behaviors.

Earlier, scientists from Tennessee used artificial intelligence to determine a mouse’s location based on its brain activity.