Baidu wants to decode your pet's meows and barks using its latest AI project

What if your cat’s meow actually meant, "feed me right now"? Or your dog’s bark translated to "don’t leave me"? Chinese tech major Baidu is working on turning that idea into reality.

The company recently filed a patent for an AI-powered system designed to translate animal sounds into human language, according to a report by Reuters. According to the filing with the China National Intellectual Property Administration, the system would collect an animal’s vocalisations, behavioural patterns, and physical signals (like heart rate), process the data using AI, and then map it to an emotional state. That emotional state could then be translated into human words.

Baidu's goal is to enable more accurate and emotionally aware communication between humans and animals.

"There has been a lot of interest in the filing of our patent application," a Baidu spokesperson told Reuters, adding that the tech is still in the research phase.

Baidu has been doubling down on AI, especially after the rise of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The company recently launched its Ernie 4.5 Turbo model, claiming performance on par with global benchmarks, although user traction remains limited in China’s competitive AI market.

Globally, others are exploring similar frontiers. Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative) is using AI to decode how sperm whales communicate, while the Earth Species Project, which is backed by LinkedIn’s Reid Hoffman, is also working to interpret animal language using tech.

The news sparked buzz on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. Reactions ranged from excitement to healthy scepticism. One user summed it up: "Sounds impressive, but let’s see how it works in the real world."

If Baidu succeeds, "talking to your pet" may no longer be just a figure of speech.