If I Could Talk to the Animals... Maybe AI Can Make This a Reality?

We've always been able to talk to animals, and it's sometimes said, jokingly, you may have a problem if they start talking back, but what if they could?

One thing that AI is good at is processing data and spotting patterns, common elements, and highlighting relationships which makes it ideal for all kind of research, so why not studying the language of animals?

It seems like science fiction but so were real-time language translators not too long ago. What if you could understand exactly what your pets are saying to you and speak back to them (through a real-time translator) in their own language?

While were not there yet, advancements in AI learning systems seem to suggest that the idea is no longer as far fetched and fanciful as it used to be.

To be honest, using AI to decipher animal communication accurately, is something that never crossed my mind but I'm truly excited to know that this research is being done. Watch the Bloomberg Originals video, Could AI Unlock the Secrets of Animal Communication? | The Future with Hannah Fry, below to see just where we're at so far.

One question left open in the video is while we very well could find ourselves conversing with animals, there's the ethical notion of should we be doing this in the first place?

There's the concern that humans could really mess up the balance of nature with the ability to manipulate or unintentionally interfere with species that very survival relies on how they communicate.

While this is a genuine issue, humans have been destroying habitat and sending species into extinction for hundreds of years. Surely being able to communicate effectively may open up opportunities, and if nothing else, help us to be more empathetic toward the plight of animals?

Either way, I think this research is going to be ground breaking and is something well worth keeping an eye on.

While anyone who has ever loved a family pet knows you do reach a certain level of two way communication with them over the years, actually being able to know exactly what you are saying to each other can only make the bond between you even stronger.