AI & Science: What Is the Future of Discovery?
American Academy of Arts and Sciences • • science
Key Points:
- Recent advances in artificial intelligence have significantly impacted scientific research, exemplified by breakthroughs like predicting the structure of nearly every known protein, which has major implications for biology and medicine.
- A special double issue of Dædalus gathers insights from 33 scientists across diverse fields to explore the future of scientific discovery in the era of AI.
- Contributors examine both current achievements and future possibilities of AI in science, including its limitations, potential advancements, and broader effects on scientific methods and the role of researchers.
- The relationship between AI and science is reciprocal, with each driving progress in the other, raising questions about future developments such as enhanced scientist-machine collaborations and autonomous laboratories.
- The issue emphasizes the need to thoughtfully shape the evolving landscape of AI-assisted science to ensure its benefits are fully realized and responsibly managed.