AI technology enables researchers to analyze dolphin communication patterns

Research led by Denise Herzing, founder and director of the Wild Dolphin Project, is leveraging artificial intelligence to study dolphin language, a pursuit that began with observations of Atlantic spotted dolphins during a 1985 trip to the Bahamas. After decades of collecting extensive video and audio footage, Herzing's group is collaborating with Georgia Tech and Google DeepMind to structure the dolphins' communication. Herzing noted that AI provides a powerful new tool for identifying patterns in the recordings. The team has even tested two-way communication by using an underwater, wearable computer to emit dolphin sounds, such as those indicating items like a scarf or habitats like sargassum. However, Herzing cautioned that distinguishing between genuine understanding and mere mimicry in the wild presents a significant hurdle, suggesting controlled environments might aid this distinction. While patterns are emerging, a true conversation remains distant. Herzing emphasized that even with data and structure, understanding the cultural meaning of the communication is a separate, profound exploration. She added that public speculation about what dolphins might say often reflects human concerns about environmental damage.