Researchers have previously employed comparable analysis techniques, with Mickey Pardo, a postdoctoral researcher currently based at Cornell University, conducting a 14-month study in Kenya where he recorded and analyzed elephant vocalizations. While elephants are renowned for their trumpet-like calls, the majority of their vocalizations consist of low-pitched rumbles that are only partially audible to humans.
Paradoxically, Pardo claims to elicit a positive response from an elephant simply by mimicking another elephant’s call, as if he believes the giant creature is susceptible to flattery through auditory imitation. Researchers at the moment are essentially talking animals in the sense that they have been conditioned to respond to cues and sounds.
Not fairly, says Pardo. He believes actual language permits debating nuances and complex ideas that have arisen thus far. Pardo hopes to investigate whether elephants employ distinct vocalizations to select specific watering holes, inquiring if they utilize place-specific terminology.
Researchers are currently exploring whether there may still be more significance in animal vocalizations than previously considered. Over the past year, researchers from Mission CETI have been studying the vocalizations of sperm whales. Whether animals possess a primitive form of grammatical structure is theoretically possible, but the actual occurrence of such linguistic patterns remains unverified.
Researchers have embarked on an ambitious initiative to harness “synthetic intelligence” to decipher non-human communication, with one notable endeavour already underway: using AI-driven models to decode animal sounds and gather additional data for these algorithms.
The Israeli team suggests it may explore the latest advancements in synthetic intelligence, including cutting-edge artificial neural networks and machine learning algorithms. In a state-of-the-art laboratory setting, Omer’s marmosets thrive under his care. He has discreetly installed microphones within their enclosure, allowing him to capture and record their vocalizations around the clock, providing an unparalleled insight into their behavior over a full 24-hour period.
According to Omer, the chatter likely aims to train a sophisticated language model capable of responding to a series of calls initiated by a monkey, potentially generating an appropriate answer. Will a primate language model truly convey meaning, or will it merely chatter aimlessly without significance?
Only time will tell whether the monkeys will ultimately have the capacity to definitively assert their understanding.
Without deluding themselves with grandiose hopes, Omer candidly admits that he doesn’t anticipate a discussion on Nietzsche. “I don’t expect the AI to exhibit extraordinary complexity like human cognition; however, I envision it will help us gain insights into how our language evolved.”
