‘Pet' Project Made Easy: How AI, LSE Centre Will Help You Understand Your Dog, Cat Better Explained
The Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience, based at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), will develop approaches to study feelings of animals
Why is your dog looking sad? Why is your cat doing something new with its toe beans? Not sure if you are actually helping your pet? Soon, artificial intelligence (AI) and science will come to your rescue.
The Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience, based at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), will develop new approaches to study the feelings of other animals scientifically.
What will the centre do?
According to the LSE website, the Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience, made possible through a multi-year commitment of £4 million from the Jeremy Coller Foundation, will use the emerging science of animal sentience to design better policies, laws and ways of caring for other animals.
Under the leadership of its inaugural Director, Professor Jonathan Birch, the new centre – launching in autumn 2025 at LSE – will harness LSE's interdisciplinary expertise, bringing together LSE's outstanding faculty and students and working with global thought leaders across philosophy, veterinary medicine, evolutionary biology, comparative psychology, neuroscience, behavioural science, computer science, artificial intelligence, economics and law around a shared research agenda and a shared commitment to benefiting other animals.
The AI project
The centre will also work with stakeholders (in sectors such as science, tech and farming) to explore the ethical use of AI in relation to animals, aiming to develop a code of practice to support the AI industry in ensuring animals and their needs are not forgotten.
Professor Jonathan Birch, Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method at LSE and the Centre's inaugural Director, commented: 'The new centre, the first of its kind in the world, will be a place for ethical moonshots. Let's make a world in which all sentient beings are respected, even the smallest ones. Let's make a world where AI is used to benefit all animals, not to facilitate cruelty. Let's make a world in which people are empowered to act in accordance with their love of other animals rather than being nudged towards indifference. Some say these are impossible dreams, but the boundary between the 'possible' and the allegedly 'impossible' is one we aim to move."
Jeremy Coller commented: 'We are a speciesist species – only when we have a better understanding of how other animals feel and communicate will we be able to acknowledge our own shortcomings in how we treat them. Just as the Rosetta Stone unlocked the secrets of hieroglyphics, I am convinced the power of AI can help us unlock our understanding of how other animals experience their interactions with humans."
view comments
First Published:
July 20, 2025, 15:06 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
4 days ago
- News18
‘Pet' Project Made Easy: How AI, LSE Centre Will Help You Understand Your Dog, Cat Better Explained
Last Updated: The Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience, based at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), will develop approaches to study feelings of animals Why is your dog looking sad? Why is your cat doing something new with its toe beans? Not sure if you are actually helping your pet? Soon, artificial intelligence (AI) and science will come to your rescue. The Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience, based at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), will develop new approaches to study the feelings of other animals scientifically. What will the centre do? According to the LSE website, the Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience, made possible through a multi-year commitment of £4 million from the Jeremy Coller Foundation, will use the emerging science of animal sentience to design better policies, laws and ways of caring for other animals. Under the leadership of its inaugural Director, Professor Jonathan Birch, the new centre – launching in autumn 2025 at LSE – will harness LSE's interdisciplinary expertise, bringing together LSE's outstanding faculty and students and working with global thought leaders across philosophy, veterinary medicine, evolutionary biology, comparative psychology, neuroscience, behavioural science, computer science, artificial intelligence, economics and law around a shared research agenda and a shared commitment to benefiting other animals. The AI project The centre will also work with stakeholders (in sectors such as science, tech and farming) to explore the ethical use of AI in relation to animals, aiming to develop a code of practice to support the AI industry in ensuring animals and their needs are not forgotten. Professor Jonathan Birch, Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method at LSE and the Centre's inaugural Director, commented: 'The new centre, the first of its kind in the world, will be a place for ethical moonshots. Let's make a world in which all sentient beings are respected, even the smallest ones. Let's make a world where AI is used to benefit all animals, not to facilitate cruelty. Let's make a world in which people are empowered to act in accordance with their love of other animals rather than being nudged towards indifference. Some say these are impossible dreams, but the boundary between the 'possible' and the allegedly 'impossible' is one we aim to move." Jeremy Coller commented: 'We are a speciesist species – only when we have a better understanding of how other animals feel and communicate will we be able to acknowledge our own shortcomings in how we treat them. Just as the Rosetta Stone unlocked the secrets of hieroglyphics, I am convinced the power of AI can help us unlock our understanding of how other animals experience their interactions with humans." view comments First Published: July 20, 2025, 15:06 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
16-07-2025
- Indian Express
AI is trying to bridge the communication gap between people and pets. Who needs that?
There's something primordial in the bond between Homo sapiens and Canis lupus familiaris. Dogs helped hairless apes become people and humans helped wolves become dogs. From palaeolithic hunting companions down to social media celebs, there has been a seamless, wordless bond between the species. But, as with so many things, the AI hype can't leave well enough alone. Several companies are now promising to 'translate' what your canine or feline companion is trying to say when she wags her tail, sulks for attention or purrs. The danger, though, is this: What is gained in translation may be lost in affection. The Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience at the London School of Economics will deploy considerable resources to bridge the communication gap between species. There is much to gain from the endeavour. For too long, a human-centric view of personhood — which ignores intelligent, feeling creatures as diverse as corvids and apes, dolphins and elephants — has resulted in cruelty on the one hand and limited how we interact with these animals on the other. But when it comes to pets, do we really need to know what they are 'saying'? More importantly, predictive models may tell people what they want to hear, rather than what the animal 'means'. Take the pooch you have had for years. The eagerness with which he greets every member of the family when they return, the comfort of every winter cuddle, even the manipulative looks as they seek scraps from the table — what if it was all just translated to 'food giver here'? And the disdain of the domestic feline might ruin the self-esteem of the most secure persons. These words can be lies of translation. Because the language people share with their pets is no less complex or complete than those humans reserve for each other. In essence, it is a love beyond words. Let's not ruin that.
NDTV
15-07-2025
- NDTV
AI May Soon Let You Talk To Your Pet, Says New Research Initiative
In a groundbreaking move, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is set to launch the Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience, the world's first research centre dedicated to scientifically studying the consciousness of animals, according to The Guardian. With operations beginning on September 30, the 4 million Pounds centre will investigate how humans can better understand non-human animals including pets through advanced technologies like artificial intelligence. Among its many interdisciplinary projects, one of the most exciting is the exploration of how AI could potentially enable communication between humans and animals. By decoding behavioural cues and patterns, researchers hope to develop tools that allow pet owners to better interpret what their animals are feeling or trying to express. However, the centre will also study the potential ethical risks and misuses of such technology, as per the news report. The centre will bring together experts from neuroscience, philosophy, veterinary science, AI, law, and behavioural science to study animals ranging from cats and dogs to insects, crabs, and cuttlefish. "We like our pets to display human characteristics and with the advent of AI, the ways in which your pet will be able to speak to you is going to be taken to a whole new level," said Prof Jonathan Birch, the inaugural director of the centre. "But AI often generates made-up responses that please the user rather than being anchored in objective reality. This could be a disaster if applied to pets' welfare," said Birch, whose input to the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act led to it being expanded to include cephalopod mollusks and decapod crustaceans. Birch points to separation anxiety: dog owners often want reassurance that their pet is not suffering when left alone for long periods. Futuristic "translation" apps based on large language models could promise to provide that reassurance, but end up causing harm by telling owners what they want to hear rather than what the animal actually needs. "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."
