New $5.39 million research center will explore how AI could let humans talk to pets

Forward-looking: In what sounds like one of the best uses for the technology, a new research center will explore how AI could allow pets to speak to humans. The frustration of not being able to understand what's bothering a furry friend might be avoided if the project proves fruitful, though the usual dangers associated with AI will need to be avoided.

The Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience, which is based at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in the UK's capital city, will start its investigations into the consciousness of animals on September 30.

As per The Guardian, the £4 million ($5.39 million) center's work will cover neuroscience, philosophy, veterinary science, law, evolutionary biology, comparative psychology, behavioural science, computer science, economics and artificial intelligence.

One project that is understandably receiving a lot of attention revolves around AI being used to help humans "speak" with their pets.

Prof Jonathan Birch, the inaugural director of the centre, warned that while being able to understand what your pets are trying to communicate would be fantastic, AI is known to make up responses that please the users rather than being grounded in objective reality.

"I've always wanted to tell you how much I hate this sweater"

"This could be a disaster if applied to pets' welfare," said Birch. He used the example of the familiar worry dog owners feel when having to leave their pets alone for long periods. A theoretical AI pet-translation app could provide reassurance, but it may be telling people what they want to hear rather than what the dog is trying to say.

"We urgently need frameworks governing responsible, ethical AI use in relation to animals," said Birch. "At the moment, there's a total lack of regulation in this sphere. The centre wants to develop ethical guidelines that will be recognised globally."

The center will also look at other areas where animal welfare and AI intersect. There has been a lot of interest around driverless cars hitting pedestrians: who would be held responsible in such cases, or what if a vehicle was forced to choose who to hit, etc. But there is little conversation around them colliding with dogs and animals, even though a self-driving Waymo hit and killed a dog in 2023.

AI is also being used in farming. There were reports of sanctioned Chinese tech giant Huawei's AI being used in pig farming in 2021, and smart autonomy is being introduced elsewhere in the farming industry, often with little thought about the welfare of the animals.

The center hopes to develop guidance, research, and codes of practice that can be lobbied for around the world. It's also hoped that the center's work could help us understand more about human consciousness and how it can be switched back "on" in cases of medical emergencies.

This isn't the first time we've seen AI used as a way to communicate with animals. It was reported in April that Google was using a new AI model and Pixel phones to try to understand dolphins and eventually converse with the mammals. The aptly named DolphinGemma large language model could interpret whistles, clicks, squawks, and other noises made by everyone's favorite sea creature.