Beyond Words:
AI Decoding Dolphin Conversations
Speculative editorial illustration for Science magazine, inspired by the article “About as close to aliens as we’ll ever get. Can AI crack animal language?” by Christa Lesté-Lasserre.
The article explores how artificial intelligence is being used to decode animal communication, focusing on a project that won the International Doolittle Prize for its work on better understanding communication between humans and dolphins, enabled by artificial intelligence.
The concept behind this illustration was to portray AI as a means of shedding light on the interpretation of dolphin whistles, especially those produced after temporary separations. The study revealed a variety of whistle types, ranging from alert signals and social calls to expressions of confusion, including one informally dubbed the “WTF whistle”, used in moments of uncertainty or surprise, particularly during those instances of isolation.
Can you hear what’s being whispered between the lines beneath the ocean?
My creation process starts with sketching rough ideas on paper. After exploring primary compositions, I test values and colours on thumbnails before refining and rendering the final piece.
Below is the final conceptual illustration for a non-commissioned Science magazine cover.
The letter strings may seem random, but contain hidden messages inspired by what two dolphins, separated by distance, might communicate through whistles. Can you decode what they’re saying?
I’d love to know your guesses!