Name: Can AI help us speak with wolves?
Uploaded: 2025-06-02T14:50:14Z
Duration: 11 min 22 s
Description: Why do wolves howl? With the help of AI, we're getting closer to an answer. Linguist and software engineer Jeffrey T. Reed shares his research on wolf sounds in the wild, revealing the surprisingly complex range of vocalizations — barks, yelps, whimpers, even teeth clacking — these creatures make for different social functions.

Jeffrey T. Reed: Can AI help us speak with wolves?

Can AI help us speak with wolves?

Why do wolves howl? With the help of AI, we're getting closer to an answer. Linguist and software engineer Jeffrey T. Reed shares his research on wolf sounds in the wild, revealing the surprisingly complex range of vocalizations — barks, yelps, whimpers, even teeth clacking — these creatures make for different social functions.

Artificial intelligence is helping scientists decode the complex vocal world of wolves, revealing over 20 distinct call types and their social meanings. In Yellowstone, a wolf named 907 howled for over 30 minutes to reach her pack five miles away, demonstrating the power of these sounds. Using autonomous recorders, researchers are now mapping when, why, and how wolves communicate. As wild mammals shrink to just a fraction of global land animal mass, understanding these signals could reshape how wild places are protected.