AI May Soon Let You Talk To Your Pet, Says New Research Initiative
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."
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