Scientists have developed an AI-based system designed to study the thinking and behavior of wild capuchin monkeys with less manual intervention. The method combines facial recognition with real-time touchscreen testing, creating a more automated way to carry out cognitive research outside of traditional lab settings.
According to the report, the project serves as a proof of concept published in the American Journal of Primatology. The work shows how artificial intelligence can be used to identify individual monkeys and connect those identities to touchscreen tasks, helping researchers gather cognitive data from animals living in the wild.
That matters because studying cognition in free-ranging primates is often difficult, time-consuming and dependent on close human monitoring. By automating parts of the process, researchers may be able to collect more consistent information while observing animals in more natural conditions.
The new approach points to a broader shift in primate research, where AI tools could expand how scientists measure learning, memory and decision-making in wild populations. If the method continues to prove effective, it could open new possibilities for cognitive studies of primates beyond controlled environments.
