Opinion AI is trying to bridge the communication gap between people and pets. Who needs that?

There’s something primordial in the bond between Homo sapiens and Canis lupus familiaris. Dogs helped hairless apes become people and humans helped wolves become dogs. From palaeolithic hunting companions down to social media celebs, there has been a seamless, wordless bond between the species. But, as with so many things, the AI hype can’t leave well enough alone. Several companies are now promising to “translate” what your canine or feline companion is trying to say when she wags her tail, sulks for attention or purrs. The danger, though, is this: What is gained in translation may be lost in affection.

The Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience at the London School of Economics will deploy considerable resources to bridge the communication gap between species. There is much to gain from the endeavour. For too long, a human-centric view of personhood — which ignores intelligent, feeling creatures as diverse as corvids and apes, dolphins and elephants — has resulted in cruelty on the one hand and limited how we interact with these animals on the other. But when it comes to pets, do we really need to know what they are “saying”? More importantly, predictive models may tell people what they want to hear, rather than what the animal “means”.

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Take the pooch you have had for years. The eagerness with which he greets every member of the family when they return, the comfort of every winter cuddle, even the manipulative looks as they seek scraps from the table — what if it was all just translated to “food giver here”? And the disdain of the domestic feline might ruin the self-esteem of the most secure persons. These words can be lies of translation. Because the language people share with their pets is no less complex or complete than those humans reserve for each other. In essence, it is a love beyond words. Let’s not ruin that.