In a world where artificial intelligence is rapidly evolving, scientists are turning their attention to one of the most fundamental – and unexplored – forms of intelligence: animal consciousness. A new interdisciplinary research center based at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is filling this gap, aiming to map animal minds and ethically use artificial intelligence (AI) to mediate communication between humans and other species.
The Jeremy Coller Animal Sentience Centre, which will officially open on 30 September, heralds a new era in the study of animal consciousness. With a budget of £4 million and an international scientific team, the centre will study a wide range of animals — from dogs and cats, to cephalopods, crustaceans and insects — analysing their behaviour and relationships with humans through the lens of neuroscience, philosophy, veterinary science, law, evolutionary biology, psychology, behavioural science, computer science, economics and artificial intelligence.
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AI-translation for pets: Revolution or illusion?
One of the center's most ambitious axes concerns the use of large language models (LLMs) to "translate" pet behavior. The goal is to create technologies that could in the future become the "mediator" between owner and animal, helping us decode emotions such as separation anxiety, disappointment or joy.
However, Professor Jonathan Birch warns: using AI to analyze animals' emotions can prove dangerous. "AI often constructs responses that please humans rather than reflect reality. This can create false reassurance and, ultimately, undermine animal welfare."
Regulatory vacuum and ethical dilemmas
Despite the explosive growth of AI in the fields of communication and behavioral analysis, there is currently no institutionalized regulation on how it should be used when it concerns non-human organisms. The Center aspires to define global ethical standards and technical protocols, collaborating with NGOs and scientific groups.
The lack of rules extends to the autonomous vehicle. Birch wonders why the discussion is focused exclusively on avoiding human casualties and not on animals: “We have to ask ourselves why we don’t require autonomous vehicle algorithms to also recognize and protect animals, like cats or dogs.”
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AI, automation and livestock farming
The Jeremy Coller Animal Sentience Centre will also address another important issue. Artificial intelligence is also dynamically invading the agri-food chain. The automation of animal husbandry is developing rapidly, but without sufficient institutional discussion. Birch raises the crucial question: Can there be care without human presence? If we accept that animals have feelings, then integrating them into autonomous systems without ethical controls is dangerous.
From animal consciousness to understanding the human mind
Jeff Sebo , director of the Center for Environmental and Animal Conservation at New York University, said that issues of animal awareness and welfare , the impacts of AI on animals, and public attitudes toward animals are “ among the most important, difficult, and neglected issues we face as a society .”
"Humans share the world with millions of species and five times millions of individual animals, and we affect animals all over the world whether we like it or not," he said.
Professor Kristin Andrews said the center's studies will help us better understand what human consciousness - and how it can be "reactivated" in cases of stroke and other medical conditions.
"We still don't understand what makes people conscious or why someone starts or stops being conscious," he said. "But we know that the way to get answers is to study simple systems first: science has made great strides in genomics and medicine by studying simple organisms."
From ethics to behavior change
Social psychologist Kristof Dhont points out that human moral attitudes towards animals often do not match our actual behavior. Although many people claim to be sensitive, our everyday choices (e.g. diet, shopping, technology) remain inconsistent with these values. Behavioral science can shed light on this gap and suggest solutions.
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Philanthropist Jeremy Coller, the visionary behind the project, argues that only when we understand how other species feel will we be able to understand our own weaknesses. “Just as the Rosetta Stone deciphered hieroglyphics, I believe artificial intelligence will decipher animal consciousness and how they perceive interactions with humans.”
The Jeremy Coller Animal Sentience Centre is not just a new scientific initiative. It is a shift in our perception of the world. The intersection of AI, ethics and scientific knowledge may prove to be the next great leap not only in technology, but also in culture.
Source: www.theguardian.com
