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How a decade-long mystery was solved in 48 hours with AI
The answer, painstakingly pieced together over years, required intricate research and extensive proof.
Cases of tuberculosis (pictured) have increased in the UK and worldwide as the disease increases its resistance to antibiotics. Photo Credit: Getty Images
For over a decade, Professor José R. Penadés and his team at Imperial College London wrestled with a baffling scientific puzzle—how do some superbugs become resistant to antibiotics? The answer, painstakingly pieced together over years, required intricate research and extensive proof.
Then came AI
In an unexpected twist, a new artificial intelligence tool developed by Google cracked the same problem in just 48 hours. With a simple prompt, the AI not only reached the same conclusion as the research team but also generated four additional hypotheses—one of which the scientists had never even considered. Now, they are actively pursuing this new line of research.
The discovery left Penadés in shock. Speaking to the BBC, he admitted, “I was shopping with somebody, I said, ‘please leave me alone for an hour, I need to digest this thing.’” He was so stunned that he even asked Google if the AI had secretly accessed his computer. The answer? A definitive no.
A New Era in Science?
The implications of AI’s success in this case are staggering. If such technology had been available earlier, it could have shaved years off the research process. More than just replicating human discoveries, AI appears capable of accelerating scientific breakthroughs, opening new avenues that even experts might overlook.
While concerns about AI replacing jobs are widespread, Penadés sees it differently. “It’s more that you have an extremely powerful tool,” he says. Instead of replacing scientists, AI could become their most valuable ally—pushing the boundaries of knowledge at an unprecedented pace.
With AI now proving its ability to rival human intelligence in scientific discovery, the question remains: Are we ready for the future of research?
