AI and Animal Emotions: Researchers Train AI to Understand Animals

The Potential of AI in Understanding Animal Emotions

Recent research, as highlighted in Science, suggests that artificial intelligence may one day provide insights into animal pain and emotional states.

AI-Powered Animal Welfare Systems

One example is the Intellipig system. Developed by researchers at the University of the West of England Bristol and Scotland’s Rural College, it analyzes images of pigs’ faces.

The system is designed to alert farmers to indications of pain, illness, or emotional suffering in the animals.

Facial Recognition for Canine Discomfort

Researchers at the University of Haifa are leveraging AI to recognize discomfort in dogs. This team previously created facial recognition software used to locate lost pets.

Interestingly, canine facial movements share approximately 38% similarity with human expressions, facilitating the AI’s learning process.

Autonomous Pain Detection in Horses

Traditionally, AI systems require humans to define the meaning of animal behaviors through extensive observation. However, a novel approach was recently tested at the University of São Paulo.

A researcher trained an AI system using images of horses’ faces taken before and after surgical procedures, and before and after pain medication administration.

The AI was instructed to focus on the eyes, ears, and mouths of the horses. Remarkably, it independently learned to identify pain indicators with an 88% accuracy rate.

Implications for Animal Welfare

These developments demonstrate the growing potential of artificial intelligence to enhance our understanding of animal well-being.

By objectively assessing animal expressions, AI could revolutionize animal care practices and improve welfare standards.