The research of psychologists Ed Wasserman and Stephen Sutton aligns with the foundational work of Robert Rescorla, who suggested that association is a learning process shaped by the relationships among environmental events. Rescorla’s theories posit that such associations are vital for an organism’s representation of its surroundings.
In laboratory settings, pigeons exhibit learning that transcends mere button-pecking tasks. For example, when students transport pigeons between an aviary and laboratory using buckets, experienced pigeons readily hop into the buckets upon their release. This behavior implies that the pigeons are learning about their environment and the connections between the bucket and the laboratory setup, even when they may not fully understand the individual tasks ahead.
Recent discussions among comparative psychologists and animal researchers emphasize the evaluation of sentience in living beings, especially in light of advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). Notably, pigeons have been involved in drug discrimination tasks, where they determine which substance they have ingested based on the rewards they receive, suggesting that they may be capable of distinguishing internal states.
The question arises: can pigeons’ abilities reflect an inner experience akin to introspection? Unlike AI systems, which can exhibit learned behaviors based on pattern recognition, pigeons experience sensations such as pain, warranting ethical considerations regarding their treatment. Commentary from philosophers underscores the urgency of investing in animal cognition research to better understand sentience in both animals and AI.
Moreover, Wasserman’s findings highlight that learning through experience—rather than strictly rule-based methods—aligns human cognitive functions with those of other animals. This shared mechanism of associative learning is foundational not only for simpler tasks but also for more complex skills, showcasing the interplay between different forms of intelligence among species.
Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/08/18/1121370/ai-pigeons-reinforcement-learning/