Baidu is introducing new technology, AI will extract money from pet sounds

The beloved dog is suddenly barking. Many people try to understand why it is barking. However, the long-standing curiosity of understanding the mind of animals through sounds can now become a reality with the help of technology. Chinese technology company Baidu has taken the initiative to use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to find meaning in animal sounds and behavior.

Baidu recently filed a patent application with the National Intellectual Property Administration of China. There, they presented the idea of ​​such an advanced translation system. In this system, it will be able to analyze the sounds, body language, behavioral changes and other biological signals of animals and translate them into human language. Baidu claims that this AI-based system will be able to identify the emotions or mental states of animals. 

After analysis, it will translate those emotions and present them in Chinese or English in a way that humans can understand. This will make communication between humans and animals easier and more meaningful. Baidu wrote in the patent application that through this technology, it will be possible to establish emotional communication between animals and humans.

The company said the entire project is still in the early stages of research. Further research, development and practical testing are needed to develop it into a viable product. A Baidu spokesperson said, “There has been a lot of interest since the patent was filed. However, it is still in the research stage, so it is not possible to say for sure when it will be available on the market as a product.” The South China Morning Post reported that Baidu’s patent application was filed in December 2024 but was published recently.

So far, nothing has been said about what form the technology will ultimately take. However, technologists believe that it could possibly come to the market as a mobile app. If the user records a video of their pet and uploads it to the app, it will analyze it and show a possible translation of the animal's speech or feelings. 

However, there are also doubts about such products. Many are questioning whether AI can truly capture animal expressions accurately? James Borre, founder of the British technology consultancy Borre Group, said, "Understanding the feelings or language of animals is still a very complex subject for science. Although many apps have been launched, their effectiveness in reality is very limited."

Several research initiatives are already underway around the world to establish linguistic communication between humans and animals. The US-based non-profit organization Earth Species Project has been using artificial intelligence to analyze animal sounds since 2017. In addition, Danish scientists were recently able to identify the emotions of pigs by analyzing their vocalizations in a study. Baidu's patent is also being discussed on Chinese social media.

Baidu is the first major Chinese tech company to invest heavily in AI since the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT in 2022. Last month, the company released its latest AI model, 'Arnie 4.5 Turbo.' Baidu claims that it is capable of competing with the world's leading AI models. However, despite all these efforts, Baidu's chatbot has yet to gain significant popularity in the local market. Competitors include OpenAI's ChatGPT and China's own advanced chatbot DeepSec.