Can AI Bridge Communication with Dolphins?

Speedy Summary:

• Google and Georgia Tech researchers, alongside the Wild Dolphin Project (WDP), are developing DolphinGemma, a large language model (LLM) aimed at decoding dolphin vocalizations for potential two-way communication with dolphins.
• WDP provided 40 years of acoustic data from Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) to train the AI model.
• The LLM successfully generates “dolphinlike” sounds such as clicks, whistles, and burst pulses relevant to dolphin social interactions.
• Researchers are exploring how dolphins respond to AI-generated “words,” using a system called CHAT (cetacean hearing augmented telemetry), involving sound playback gear worn by divers.
• Critics question whether dolphin vocalizations can be classified as “language,” citing their finite structure compared to human communication systems.
• Concerns remain about unintentionally training dolphins rather than demonstrating true comprehension of meaning.
• This research could offer insights into dolphin cognition even if full conversational abilities with them remain unlikely in the near future.

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