FT Tech Tonic Can AI help us speak to animals? Karen Bakker interview
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Sep 19, 2023 Karen Bakker, a Canadian scientist and author in the bioacoustic research community, discusses advancements in digital bioacoustics, the importance of listening skills, the potential of AI to understand animal vocalizations, and the commercial applications of bioacoustics in biodiversity conservation.
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Hidden Animal Communications Revealed
- Digital technology lets us hear animal sounds humans cannot, like ultrasound and infrasound.
- This reveals complex communications across species we previously thought silent.
Beyond Human Language Definitions
- Researchers now study animal communication on animals' own terms, not by human language standards.
- This approach appreciates complex communication without forcing human language definitions.
Plants Respond to Insect Sounds
- Plants can hear insect sounds and respond by releasing defensive chemicals only when threatened.
- This shows plants use sound for complex ecological communication with insects.