Experience the captivating melodies of the deep sea as you tune into Whale Songs
In a groundbreaking international effort, scientists are working tirelessly to unlock the secrets of whale communication using cutting-edge technology like AI.
Organisations such as Whale.org and Ocean Alliance are at the forefront of this research, providing valuable whale recordings that are contributing to the ongoing study. The use of these recordings, along with underwater microphones, drones, and suction-cup tags, is helping researchers gather detailed acoustic and physiological data directly from whales.
One of the most notable projects is Project CETI, a collaboration between MIT researchers and marine biologists like Shane Gero. This project uses AI to analyse sperm whale clicks called codas, identifying hundreds of distinct patterns that may serve social functions like individual and group identification.
Similarly, the Earth Species Project employs large animal language models and AI tools to classify and interpret various animal communications, including whales, to better understand diverse intelligences on Earth.
The study of whale communication is significant as it can help us better understand the natural world. It's not just about learning more about whales, but about gaining insights into the complexities of communication and social structure in the animal kingdom.
While there are no direct legal or diplomatic initiatives explicitly granting whales personhood by mid-2025, these scientific advancements underpin broader conservation and ethical discussions. The detailed recognition of whales as unique individuals with distinct social bonds, highlighted by longstanding research and reinforced by AI findings, supports arguments for enhanced rights or legal status for whales.
These movements typically aim to recognise whales’ complex cognition, sociality, and possible sentience, often framed within animal rights and conservation advocacy. The AI-driven breakthroughs in understanding whale communication provide strong scientific foundations for these ethical and legal efforts, although concrete personhood legislation or international agreements have not been confirmed in the latest available information.
Some AI research indicates whales may attempt communication with humans, as exemplified by recorded interactive responses from humpback whales. This suggests that whales may be more intelligent and complex than previously thought, and could potentially respond to human efforts to communicate with them.
In summary, AI projects like Project CETI and Earth Species Project are decoding whale communication, identifying complex vocal patterns and social signalling in species like sperm and killer whales. Some AI research indicates whales may attempt communication with humans, and efforts to grant whales personhood remain primarily ethical and advocacy-driven, supported indirectly by scientific discoveries but not yet formalised in international law by 2025. These advances help boost conservation strategies and raise awareness about whale intelligence and social complexity, potentially influencing future legal protections.
[1] Project CETI: https://www.ceti.org/ [2] Research on Killer Whale Bioacoustics: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6531807/ [3] Whales Responding to Human Calls: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-64447-z [4] Earth Species Project: https://earthspeciesproject.org/
- The Earth Species Project, along with Project CETI, is leveraging artificial intelligence to decode the communication of various species, such as sperm and killer whales, shedding light on complex vocal patterns and social signalling within these animals.
- In the realm of environmental science, the use of artificial intelligence tools, like those employed by the Earth Species Project, is contributing significantly to our understanding of diverse intelligences on Earth, including whales, potentially paving the way for future legal protections and ethical considerations.
