Have you ever wished you could talk to your pet dog or cat and understand what they are thinking? For centuries, humans have dreamed of communicating with animals.

Now, thanks to the power of artificial intelligence (AI), that dream might be getting a little closer to reality. Scientists are using amazing new technology to listen to dolphins and even start to understand their secret language.

What is DolphinGemma?

Scientists at Google have created a special AI called DolphinGemma. Think of it like a super-smart computer program that has been learning to speak “dolphin.” It has been listening to thousands of hours of dolphin sounds recorded over 40 years by the Wild Dolphin Project. This project has been studying the same group of Atlantic spotted dolphins in the Bahamas for a very long time, so they know each dolphin by name and have watched them grow up.

According to Google, “Dolphin, Gemma functions as an audio-in, audio-out model, processes sequences of natural dolphin sounds to identify patterns, structure and ultimately predict the likely subsequent sounds in a sequence, much like how large language models for human language predict the next word or token in a sentence.” [1]

This means the AI can recognize patterns in the dolphin sounds and even guess what sound a dolphin might make next. It’s like learning the grammar and vocabulary of a whole new language!

How Do Dolphins Communicate?

Dolphins are very chatty creatures! They use a variety of sounds to talk to each other. Researchers have identified a few key types of sounds:

• Signature Whistles: These are like names. Each dolphin has its own unique whistle, and mothers and calves use them to find each other.
• Burst-Pulse “Squawks”: These are often heard when dolphins are arguing or fighting.
• Click “Buzzes”: These sounds are used during exciting times, like when they are chasing sharks or during courtship.

By linking these sounds to the dolphins’ behavior, scientists can start to understand what they might mean. The DolphinGemma AI is helping to speed up this process by finding patterns that humans might have missed.

The Science Behind the Research

The work being done is a collaboration between the dedicated researchers of the Wild Dolphin Project, who have spent decades in the water with the dolphins, and the tech experts at Google and Georgia Tech. This combination of long-term animal observation and cutting-edge technology is what makes this research so exciting.

The goal is not just to listen, but to one day have a two-way conversation. Researchers hope to use the AI to create new sounds and see how the dolphins react, potentially creating a shared vocabulary.

Q&A

Q: Can I talk to dolphins now?

A: Not yet! This technology is still very new. For now, it’s helping scientists understand dolphin language, but we are still a long way from having a conversation with them.

Q: Is this research safe for the dolphins?

A: Yes, it is very safe. The researchers at the Wild Dolphin Project have a strict rule: “In Their World, on Their Terms.” This means they never bother or harm the dolphins. All the research is done by observing them in their natural home.

Q: What other animals could we talk to with AI?

A: Scientists are using AI to study the communication of many different animals, including whales, birds, and even bees! Each species has its own unique way of communicating, and AI is a powerful tool to help us understand them all.

Sources

[1] Google. (2025, April 14). DolphinGemma: How AI can decipher dolphin communication. Google AI Blog. https://blog.google/technology/ai/dolphingemma/

[2] DOGO News. (2025, September 22). Can Artificial Intelligence Help Us Talk To Dolphins? https://www.dogonews.com/2025/9/22/can-artificial-intelligence-help-us-talk-to-dolphins

[3] Herzing, D. L. (2010). SETI meets a social intelligence: Dolphins as a model for real-time interaction and communication with a sentient species. Acta Astronautica, 67(11-12), 1451–1456. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094576510000287