The study of animal emotions is a complex subject. Every day, pet lovers can easily perceive signs of joy, anger or sadness in their dogs or cats – yet our impressions are largely influenced by our own experiences.

Now a Danish study, published in the journal iScience, suggests that artificial intelligence could play a key role in better deciphering them.

Using AI, researchers at the University of Copenhagen have succeeded in identifying and distinguishing between positive and negative emotions in seven species of ungulates, including cows, pigs and wild boars. To achieve this, they analysed thousands of vocalsations recorded in various emotional contexts.

Their study reveals several key indicators for differentiating positive from negative emotion, including sound duration, acoustic energy distribution, fundamental frequency, and amplitude modulation.

More surprisingly, these vocal patterns appear to be common to several species, suggesting that expressing emotions through the voice is a mechanism deeply rooted in evolution.

The team developed a machine learning model with an impressive accuracy rate of 89.49%. According to the researchers, this is the first tool capable of analysing the emotional states of different animal species based solely on their vocalisations.

This breakthrough could have far-reaching implications, transforming the way we interact with farm animals and certain endangered wild species in the future. In particular, it could pave the way for real-time animal welfare-monitoring systems.

“Understanding how animals express emotions can help us improve their wellbeing. If we can detect stress or discomfort early, we can intervene before it escalates.

“Equally important, we could also promote positive emotions, which would be a game changer for animal welfare,” explained study author Élodie Briefer.

This technological breakthrough marks another step towards a future where AI’s decoding of animal emotions could revolutionise breeding and conservation practices. This field is attracting growing interest in the scientific world.

In 2023, researchers at the University of Tokyo developed an AI capable of identifying the emotional state of hens by analysing their clucking. Prior to this, France’s National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment developed a system for interpreting pigs’ grunts.

While these technologies still need to be perfected, they could profoundly alter our relationship with animals, and help us to take better account of their emotions in day-to-day life.