Chinese tech company Baidu is on a mission to decipher your pet's every meow and woof, translating them into human language using artificial intelligence.

Baidu, the company behind China's largest search engine, has filed a patent with the China National Intellectual Property Administration, detailing a system designed to convert animal vocalizations into human speech.

The patent, published this week, reveals that the technology could change the way we interpret our pets’ emotional states.

AI-Powered Animal Communication

For years, scientists have been fascinated by the idea of understanding animal communication, and Baidu’s patent represents the latest effort to harness AI for this purpose.

According to the document, the system will gather data from animals—vocal sounds, behavioral patterns, and physiological signals. These elements will then be analyzed using AI to determine the animal's emotional state.

Once identified, these emotional states will be mapped to specific semantic meanings, which can then be translated into human language.

The goal is to create deeper emotional communication between humans and animals, helping people better understand their pets and improve cross-species interactions.

When asked about the timeline for turning this patent into a product, a Baidu spokesperson explained, "There has been a lot of interest in the filing of our patent application. Currently, it is still in the research phase." While the project is still in its early stages, it could represent a breakthrough in the way we connect with animals.

Baidu was quick to invest in AI after the launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT in 2022. The company recently introduced its own AI model, Ernie 4.5 Turbo, which it claims matches industry leaders in performance.

However, Baidu’s Ernie chatbot has struggled to gain significant traction in a highly competitive market.

Global AI Efforts to Decode Animal Language

Baidu is not the only company exploring animal communication through AI. Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative), an international effort, has been working since 2020 to analyze the communication of sperm whales using AI and statistical methods.

Additionally, the Earth Species Project, a nonprofit founded in 2017, is focused on deciphering animal communication with AI tools, with backers like LinkedIn’s Reid Hoffman.

The news of Baidu’s patent sparked intense discussion on Chinese social media platforms, particularly Weibo, where reactions were mixed.

While some users were excited by the potential for better communication with their pets, others remained skeptical about the practical applications of such technology.

One Weibo user commented

"While it sounds impressive, we'll need to see how it performs in real-world applications."

This response highlights the uncertainty surrounding the feasibility of using AI to understand complex animal emotions.