With AI Translation Technology, You May Soon Be Able To Talk To Your Pets

What if you could talk to your pet dog or cat? Sounds too preposterous to be true? Recent advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning suggest that this could indeed be possible, albeit in a restricted manner. In the past, AI has helped us in decoding ancient languages, and now scientists are experimenting with the technology in order to interpret animal vocalisations and facial expressions into a language which can be understood by humans.  Sceptics are aplenty, however. While some question the very depth and sophistication of animal language, others are left wondering why animal sounds are synthesised into English alone. The first recorded tangible output of such research was a Japanese novelty item, which was awarded the satirical Ig Nobel Prize in 2002.