Could AI Help Decode Whale Communication And Boost Conservation?

Researchers are employing artificial intelligence to analyze the complex clicking sounds made by whales, with the hope of better understanding their communication and boosting conservation efforts.

Sperm whales produce patterns of clicks called codas, which help them identify individuals and social groups. According to a Sierra NGO publication, Shane Gero, a biologist who has studied sperm whales near Dominica since 2005, said, “Each one of these animals is its own being […] They’re unique individuals.”

His team recently observed a rare birth, underscoring the importance of these animals’ social bonds.

In 2020, Gero joined Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative), a nonprofit focused on using AI and technology to decode whale sounds. David Gruber, CETI’s founder, explained, “We feel like we’re in search for inter-terrestrial intelligence,” as reported by Sierra.

The project collects data through underwater microphones, drones, and suction-cup tags that record not only sounds but also physiological data. Gruber noted, “The best sound we get is when [the device] is right on the whale,” reported Sierra.

A 2024 study from MIT led by Daniela Rus identified hundreds of distinct codas, revealing that whales arrange these sounds in complex, rule-governed ways. Rus described this as “an important step toward understanding [codas] as a true language-like system,” according to Sierra.

However, some experts remain cautious about interpreting the clicks as language. Luke Rendell, a biologist at the University of St. Andrews, said, “Unless we get to the meaning, it doesn’t matter whether it looks like language or not.” He suggested the clicks might serve social functions similar to music or coordinated group behavior, as noted by Sierra.

Despite differing views, there is consensus on the need to protect sperm whales and their habitats. Sierra reports that Rendell stated, “They’re going to say, ‘Stop killing us.’ They’re going to say, ‘Stop polluting us.’ They’re going to say, ‘Be quiet for a while.’”

In 2025, Sierra reports that Dominica established the world’s first sperm whale preserve, a move supported in part by CETI’s work.

Daniela Rus concluded, “I still don’t understand what they’re saying—but I’ve come to respect that they’re saying something, and that changes everything.”