Google AI listens to 15 years of sea-bottom recordings for hidden whale songs
https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/29/google-ai-listens-to-15-years-of-sea-bottom-recordings-for-hidden-whale-songs/
Google and a group of game cetologists have undertaken an AI-based investigation of years of undersea recordings, hoping to create a machine learning model that can spot humpback whale calls. It’s part of the company’s new “AI for social good” program that’s rather obviously positioned to counter the narrative that AI is mostly used for facial recognition and ad targeting.
Whales travel quite a bit as they search for better feeding grounds, warmer waters and social gatherings. But naturally these movements can be rather difficult to track. Fortunately, whales call to each other and sing in individually identifiable ways, and these songs can travel great distances underwater.