AI is helping to decode animals’ speech

By studying the vocalisations of primates, birds and whales, researchers have spotted features of animal communication once thought unique to human language. To probe deeper, some researchers are turning to artificial intelligence tools to explore whether we can infer meaning from such communications. Their research raises a tantalising question: if we can decode the ‘language’ of animals, could we one day talk back? If it’s possible, there are ethical issues to iron out, such as the impact it could have on animals’ behaviour, say researchers.

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Here’s a preliminary mapping of the animal calls discussed in the article to Halliday’s protolanguage microfunctions. I’ve kept it at the level of illustrative examples rather than exhaustive coding.

Species / Call	Observed Behaviour / Context	Microfunction	Notes
Bonobo: yelp–grunt	‘Look at what I’m doing, let’s do this together’ (nest building)	Regulatory / Interactional	Coordinates joint activity; maintains social cohesion.
Bonobo: peep–whistle	‘I would like to do this’ + ‘let’s stay together’	Regulatory / Interactional	Encourages group alignment and peaceful coordination.
Chimpanzee: alarm–recruitment	Responding to snakes	Regulatory	Conveys threat and prompts group response; indicates environmental process.
Sperm whale: codas (a-vowel / i-vowel)	Communication via clicks, codas with frequency modulation	Personal / Interactional	Codas may indicate individual identity, social cues, or sequence patterns; precise “meaning” under investigation.
Japanese tit: alert + recruitment	Predator detection, approach behaviour	Regulatory	Combines information about environment and action; shows compositionality at microfunctional level.
Bengalese finch: song sequences (FinchGPT study)	Predictable song patterns	Interactional	Likely conveys social or territorial information; AI detects structure, not necessarily “meaning” in human sense.
Atlantic spotted dolphin: sequences (DolphinGemma)	Mimicked vocalisations	Interactional / Regulatory	Patterns generated for playback experiments; function in natural behaviour still uncertain.

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Key Observations Using Microfunctions

1. Coordination over grammar: The microfunctions highlight that animal communication primarily regulates behaviour and social relations.

2. Context-sensitive meaning: Each call’s significance emerges in specific environmental and social situations.

3. AI’s role: AI can detect patterns but does not assign microfunctions—it cannot yet perceive relational or contextual meaning.