In May 2024, a study published by researchers from MIT CSAIL (Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory) in collaboration with the CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative) project revealed that sperm whales use a far more sophisticated communication system than previously believed. AI analysis of thousands of vocalizations highlighted a combinatorial structure reminiscent of an alphabet.
Sperm whales communicate through sequences of rapid clicks called 'codas.' The study showed that these codas are not simple fixed signals but are combined according to rules, with variations in tempo, rhythm, and ornamentation adding layers of meaning. The researchers identified a repertoire of combinations far richer than previous studies had documented.
The CETI project, launched in 2020, is one of the most ambitious scientific initiatives ever undertaken to understand animal communication. Based in Dominica (Caribbean), it combines underwater hydrophones, drones, cameras, and machine learning to record and analyze millions of sperm whale vocalizations in their natural environment.
The use of artificial intelligence is central to this research. Natural language processing models, initially developed for human languages, are being adapted to detect patterns in cetacean vocalizations. AI can process volumes of acoustic data that are impossible to analyze manually.
This discovery rekindles the debate about cetacean intelligence and cognition. Sperm whales have the largest brain in the animal kingdom (approximately 8 kg) and live in complex matrilineal societies. The existence of a structured communication system reinforces the hypothesis of culture transmitted between generations.
MIT researchers emphasize that we are still a long way from 'translating' whale language. Understanding the structure of a communication system is not the same as understanding its meaning. However, this work opens a fascinating path towards a better understanding of animal cognition and the diversity of intelligence forms on Earth.
