What&#39;s your pet saying? AI could help translate animal sounds into words

A leading technology firm is leveraging the strength of artificial intelligence to decode the hidden meanings behind the 'purrs' and 'barks' from people's beloved pets.

Baidu, the tech giant behind China The leading search engine of , has recently been granted a pioneering patent this week. This new development showcases their bold plan to convert animal noises into comprehensible speech through the use of data-driven insights and cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies. Sky News reported .

'A significant amount of attention has been directed towards the submission of our patent application,' stated a representative from Baidu.' CGTN News 'At present, it remains in the research stage.'

As detailed in the document, the system seeks to collect various types of animal information including vocalizations, behavior trends, and physical indicators. This collected data will then be combined and examined using an AI-powered analyzer designed to determine the emotional condition of the animals.

From there, the system would then match the animal's emotions to meanings and turn them into human language, enabling a clearer understanding of what the pet is trying to express.

The firm stated in the report that the system would facilitate 'enhanced emotional exchange and comprehension between animals and people, thereby boosting the precision and effectiveness of inter-species dialogue.'

Baidu was among the earliest Chinese firms to significantly invest in artificial intelligence following OpenAI’s release of ChatGPT in 2022.

Beyond China, several countries around the world have been actively working on translating animal vocalizations, a topic that has fascinated people for years.

However, it's only through recent advancements in technology that animal owners can now begin to get excited about potentially beginning to understand what their pets are trying to convey.

On social media, videos showing dogs using buttons on hexagonal mats - known as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) boards - to communicate with their owners often go viral.

The communication abilities of these dogs continue to be debated among experts, as researchers at UC San Diego have initiated a study involving 2,000 canines aimed at resolving this issue.

Last month, Scientists have disclosed that AI could potentially allow humans to converse with dolphins in the near future. .

A novel model developed by Google could potentially unveil the mysteries of animal communication for the first time, raising hopes that humans might one day learn to "talk to dolphins."

Google DeepMind's DolphinGemma has been equipped with the globe's most extensive database of dolphin noises, encompassing clicks, whistles, and various vocalizations captured over multiple years by the Wild Dolphin Project.

Dr. Denise Herzing, who founded and directs the Wild Dolphin Project as its research director, stated The Telegraph 'We aren't sure whether animals use words.'

"Dolphins can identify themselves in mirrors, they utilize tools, and they possess intelligence; however, language remains the final frontier. Therefore, inputting dolphin vocalizations into an artificial intelligence model could provide valuable insights into potential patterns and nuances that humans might miss," she explained.

The aim eventually would be to "communicate with dolphins."

The model will look into sounds associated with behaviors to attempt finding patterns that might suggest a form of language.

Dr. Thas Starner, a Google DeepMind researcher, stated: "This model enables scientists to discover concealed patterns and underlying significances in dolphin vocalizations, work that formerly demanded significant manual labor from humans."

'Our comprehension of the structures within these sounds is only starting to emerge.'