DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis claims AI could cure all diseases within 10 years
Sir Demis Hassabis, co-founder of Google DeepMind and a knighted British AI pioneer, isn't breaking ground in AI or cracking the codes of protein structures, he's playing intellectual games like chess and poker. Even after cracking the code of life's most profound secrets, Hassabis continues to be fueled by an unquenchable thirst for humanity's deepest secrets. His relentless drive has not only reshaped the fields of artificial intelligence and biology, but it could also signal the dawn of the end of human disease.
Is AI poised to revolutionise medicine
According to the ET reports, in a CBS 60 minute interview on artificialintelligencenews.in (Instagram) with Scott Pelley, Hassabis shared an insight that it sounds more like science fiction than science fact. He also boldly forecasted that AI can eradicate all illnesses in the coming decade. "It takes, on average, ten years and billions of dollars to develop just one drug," Hassabis told us. "We could maybe reduce that down to months, or even weeks." His remarks are a manifestation of his sheer confidence in AI's ability to transform medicine.
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The credibility of Hassabis in coming up with such broad statements lies in his career in cracking the code of protein structures—the very fabric of life. In an incredible feat, DeepMind's artificial intelligence model unraveled the secrets of over 200 million protein structures in a span of just one year. Previous to this AI breakthrough, only a paltry 1% of these structures had been unraveled, each taking years of laborious effort. This innovation has opened the door to equivalent developments in the field of drug discovery, which could accelerate the identification of life-saving drugs by decades.
AI moves closer to becoming a true partner in scientific exploration
While current AI systems remain constrained by limitations in curiosity and intuition, Hassabis envisions a future where AI doesn't just solve scientific problems—it identifies them. 'In the next five to ten years,' he predicts, 'we'll have systems that are capable of coming up with new hypotheses in science on their own.' This kind of innovation marks a turning point in scientific discovery, shifting the role of AI from a tool to a co-discoverer.
Hassabis' research in the realm of AI has already led him and his research partner, John Jumper, to win the esteemed 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry as a recognition for their work on AI-based protein structure prediction. Their research has unveiled new realms in both medicine and biology and paved the way for AI to achieve historic progress in every area of science. Hassabis is convinced that AI will rapidly develop to the stage where it can provide novel, creative ideas—bringing humanity closer to an era of "radical abundance" and a disease-free world.
Hassabis highlights key issues that AI may pose
Yet Hassabis is not oblivious to the risks that AI may pose. He recognizes two key issues: the abuse of AI by harmful actors and the difficulty of keeping AI aligned with human values. "Can we ensure they remain on the guardrails? " he asks, using the terms of safety systems necessary to handle autonomous AI systems.
In his dual capacity as the UK Government's AI Advisor and a DeepMind and Isomorphic Labs leader, Hassabis is not just defining the future of AI research but also shaping policy to ensure that AI's power is exercised safely and for the good of humanity.
Growing role of AI in medicine and healthcare
Sir Demis Hassabis occupies a special position of intersection between scientific insight and technological innovation. His precocity as a child genius has transformed into cutting-edge work that is remapping the boundaries of AI and medicine. His forecasts are informed by established advancements, not science fiction. At a time when the world is grappling with novel challenges such as pandemics, healthcare inequalities, and increasing medical expenses, Hassabis' future vision of
disease eradication
with the help of AI is an exhilarating and revolutionary potentiality.
The potential of
AI in Medicine
AI is already changing healthcare in the present day. Artificial intelligence-powered tools are improving diagnostics, speeding up drug discovery, and tailoring patient treatment. AI technologies now aid clinicians in reading medical images, detecting diseases like cancer and sepsis, and making real-time therapy choices. In the COVID-19 crisis, AI-enabled systems played a critical role in tracking patients and performing screening procedures.
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