Dolphin researchers are on the cusp of a groundbreaking breakthrough as Google’s A.I. model, DolphinGemma, cracks the code on dolphin communication. With this technology, humans may soon be able to communicate with dolphins more effectively.
For decades, researchers have been attempting to decipher the complex language of dolphins. The Wild Dolphin Project (WDP), one of the world’s longest-running underwater dolphin studies, has been analyzing generations of wild Atlantic spotted dolphins in the Bahamas since 1985. Now, with the help of Google’s latest A.I. model, DolphinGemma, researchers are finally close to cracking the code.
Dolphins are highly intelligent marine mammals that belong to the order Cetacea.
They communicate using clicks, whistles, and body language.
Dolphins have a strong social structure and live in groups called pods, which can range from a few individuals to hundreds of dolphins.
They feed on fish, squid, and crustaceans, using echolocation to navigate and hunt.
Dolphins are known for their playful behavior, but they also exhibit complex hunting strategies and cooperation with other marine animals.
Deciphering dolphin language: a new era begins.
DolphinGemma, built on the same technology behind Google’s Gemini models, will tap into WDP‘s extensive library of acoustic dolphin data to uncover potential patterns and rules in dolphin sounds that remain indecipherable to humans. By analyzing these patterns, researchers hope to identify previously unseen structures and sequences in dolphin communication.
From whistles to words: predicting dolphin sounds.
The ultimate goal of DolphinGemma is for the A.I. system to predict subsequent sounds in a sequence of dolphin communication, similar to how other large language models (LLMs) predict the next word in a string of human text. This technology has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of dolphin behavior and allow us to communicate with these intelligent creatures more effectively.
Dolphins communicate using a variety of 'clicks, whistles, and body language.'
Researchers have identified distinct dialects among different populations.
Studies suggest dolphins use signature whistles to identify themselves, while echolocation helps them navigate and hunt.
Complex social behaviors, such as cooperation and play, also rely on effective communication.
Scientists estimate dolphins produce up to 100 unique clicks per second, allowing for rapid exchange of information.
Aiding researchers: DolphinGemma‘s potential applications.
Beyond identifying hidden patterns in dolphin audio, Google’s A.I. model could also help researchers generate entirely new sounds to communicate with dolphins. The Cetacean Hearing Augmentation Telemetry (CHAT) system, a collaborative project between WDP and the Georgia Institute of Technology, aims to teach dolphins to mimic objects they enjoy playing with by chirping out whistles while passing these objects to each other.
Dolphins are highly intelligent and social marine mammals.
They live in groups, called pods, which can range from a few individuals to hundreds of dolphins.
These pods often consist of females and their young, while males tend to wander on their own or form bachelor groups.
Dolphins communicate with each other using clicks, whistles, and body language.
They have been observed exhibiting complex behaviors such as cooperation, altruism, and even culture.
Unlocking new sounds: CHAT’s innovative approach.
DolphinGemma could potentially aid CHAT in identifying mimics at a faster rate, according to Google. This technology has the potential to add new sounds to dolphins’ repertoire, allowing them to communicate more effectively with researchers and potentially even with each other.
A new era of dolphin research: sharing knowledge.
Although DolphinGemma was trained on audio from Atlantic spotted dolphin sounds, Google believes its new model could have useful applications for other species like bottlenose or spinner dolphins. To that effect, the tech company will share the LLM with other researchers as an open model this summer.
Breaking the language barrier.
Despite having spent four decades dedicated to studying dolphins, language remains ‘the last barrier,’ noted Denise Herzing, WDP‘s founder and head of research. The goal would be for someone to speak dolphin, and we’re really trying to crack the code. With DolphinGemma on board, researchers are one step closer to achieving this ambitious goal.
- observer.com | Google’s New A.I. Model Aims to Decipher Dolphin Language
