# Can we learn to talk to sperm whales?

- Institution: TED
- Department: TED2020
- Speaker: David Gruber
- Year: 2020
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Biology, Computer science, Society and politics, Languages and linguistics
- Source: [TED](https://www.ted.com/talks/david_gruber_can_we_learn_to_talk_to_sperm_whales)
- Licence: [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) (Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions.)
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

Animals are communicating -- but what are they saying? And can we talk back? Marine biologist David Gruber introduces Project CETI: a team of scientists, linguists and AI specialists hoping to decode sperm whale language. Using noninvasive robots and a machine-learning algorithm to collect and analyze millions of sperm whale vocalizations known as coda, the team aims to demystify the communication structures and dialects of these majestic creatures -- and possibly even crack the interspecies communication code. (This ambitious plan is a part of the Audacious Project, TED's initiative to inspire and fund global change.)

## Lectures

1. [Can we learn to talk to sperm whales?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/ted/david_gruber_can_we_learn_to_talk_to_sperm_whales/abc17dbd3f06), 7 min (TED's player)