Wish your dog could talk? AI may soon make that possible

China’s Baidu is developing an AI system to translate animal sounds and behaviors into human language. Still in research, it could help pet owners better understand their animals' emotions and intentions.

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Have you ever wished you could talk to your dog and understand what it’s really trying to say? Scientists in China are working on an idea that might make this dream come true.

Tech giant Baidu has filed a patent for a new artificial intelligence system that could translate animal noises—like barking, meowing, or grunting—into human language. But it's not just about sound. The AI will also study the animal’s body movements, behavior, and other signs to understand its emotions and then convert that into language, such as Chinese or English.

The system is still in the research phase, but Baidu believes this could help humans connect more emotionally with animals and understand them better. For example, if your dog is scared or excited, the AI might tell you exactly what it’s feeling and why.

The patent was submitted in December and made public recently. Baidu has said there’s been a lot of interest in the project but warned it’s too early to say when it might become a real product.

Other efforts around the world are already trying to use AI to understand animals. The Earth Species Project, backed by LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, is decoding communication among different species. Project CETI, based in the US, is using AI to study how sperm whales “talk” to each other. In Denmark, scientists used AI to understand pigs' grunts and link them to emotions like stress or happiness.

In China, Baidu’s announcement created a buzz on social media. Some people were excited about the possibility of finally understanding their pets, while others were unsure about whether it would really work in the real world.

Right now, there are a few apps claiming to translate animal sounds into human words, but most of them don’t work well and are considered basic. Experts believe Baidu’s AI might come in the form of a video-based app: you record your pet, and the app shows what it "means."

While some experts call it a fun idea riding on AI hype, others believe that with enough data and proper training, it might actually help bridge the communication gap between humans and animals. Baidu, which already has its own AI chatbot called Ernie, is one of the biggest Chinese companies trying to catch up with leaders like ChatGPT.

This AI translator might take years to fully develop, but if it works, it could change how we live with and understand our pets.

Some existing pet-related AI apps include:

FluentPet: Uses a button-based system that lets pets "press" words to communicate.

Zoolingua: Founded by a scientist who worked with Koko the gorilla, this project also aims to turn pet sounds and behaviors into meaningful translations.

Petpuls: A collar-based AI that claims to detect dog emotions using voice patterns.

Tably: Uses a smartphone camera to detect if a cat is in pain based on facial expressions.

Most of these are early-stage tools and not 100% accurate, but they show the growing interest in decoding how animals communicate.