“Unlocking Life’s Ultimate Secret: Will AI Lead the Way?” That’s the burning question on everyone’s minds as the world becomes increasingly fascinated with the potential of generative AI. And while there’s plenty of excitement, we need to temper our expectations, according to David Younghoon Kim, chairman of Daesung Group. He’s not pessimistic, but he urges caution and practicality when it comes to AI’s grand promises.
However, there’s reason to be hopeful about the impact of AI on the field of bioengineering. Bernhard Palsson, a bioengineering professor at the University of California, San Diego, believes that by the end of this decade, we’ll be building genomes with a million to a million and a half base pairs. This advancement is thanks to AI technology, which is revolutionizing data analytics in the realm of life science.
Daesung Group, one of Korea’s oldest energy conglomerates, has been hosting the Daesung Haegang Microbes Forum since 2017, bringing together experts in science. This year, the focus was on “The Impact of AI on Biotech” with Palsson serving as a plenary speaker. In an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily, Kim and Palsson discussed the hope, hype, and potential applications of AI in bioengineering.
Kim acknowledges that there’s a bandwagon effect happening with AI and biotechnology, as governments around the world try to catch up with the trend. But he also points out that the progress in both fields hasn’t been as big as expected. As a businessman, he remains cautious about exaggerated promises.
Palsson reveals that the progress in AI models has greatly influenced the field of bioengineering. The availability of cheap DNA sequencing has led to an explosion of data, which demands advanced analysis. AI algorithms have proven to be useful tools in analyzing this data, leading to significant advancements.
While there’s always a wave of hype and disappointment in any field, Palsson believes that AI has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of diseases and improve healthcare. By sequencing human and bacterial pathogens, we can track how diseases spread and adapt, leading to better treatment options.
Of course, there are challenges on the horizon. AI requires a lot of energy, which is a concern for its environmental impact. However, there are ongoing efforts to develop low-power computations and chip architecture that mitigate these issues.
In the grand scheme of things, the promises of AI and bioengineering are exciting, but we must approach them with a level head. Many possibilities may never come to fruition, but there’s still hope for impactful advancements. And that’s where we turn the question over to you: What do you think about the potential of AI in unlocking the secrets of life? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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