MIT Retracts Popular Study Claiming AI Boosts Scientific Discoveries
"MIT has contacted arXiv to formally request that the paper be withdrawn and The Quarterly Journal of Economics, where it had been submitted," read the statement by MIT.
The university said it had requested the study author to submit the request to withdraw the paper, but they had not done it yet.
"Our understanding is that only authors of papers appearing on arXiv can submit withdrawal requests. We have directed the author to submit such a request, but to date, the author has not done so. Therefore, in an effort to clarify the research record, MIT respectfully request that the paper be marked as withdrawn from arXiv as soon as possible."
The paper titled "Artificial Intelligence, Scientific Discovery, and Product Innovation" was published on the preprint site, arXiv, in November 2024. Preprints, by definition, have not yet undergone peer review, but the study received considerable attention, including from the likes of MIT economists Daron Acemoglu (who recently won the Nobel Prize) and David Autor. The latter told the Wall Street Journal that he was "floored" by the findings.
The study claimed that AI's introduction to a large but unidentified materials science lab led to the discovery of more materials and more patent filings. However, the increased efficiency came at the cost of reducing researchers' satisfaction with their work.
Both Mr Acemoglu and Mr Autor, who were acknowledged in the paper footnote, released a statement alongside the MIT release. saying they found inconsistencies in the study after its release.
"Over time, we had concerns about the validity of this research, which we brought to the attention of the appropriate office at MIT. In early February, MIT followed its written policy and conducted an internal, confidential review," read the joint statement.
The researcher responsible for the study is no longer affiliated with the university, MIT added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Qniverse Adopts AI in its QA Processes to Enhance Customer Experience
PNN Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 19: Artificial Intelligence is revolutionising the workplace by automating repetitive tasks and enabling smarter, data-driven decision-making. Qniverse, a global leader in Quality Assurance (QA) and digital transformation, celebrates its successful journey from a bold vision to an AI-driven powerhouse, reshaping the standards of quality for enterprises worldwide. At Qniverse, quality is an ongoing journey, enhanced by AI to move from simply fixing issues to preventing them early through smarter automation testing, comprehensive test coverage, bug prevention and early detection of potential disruptions. AI accelerates automation testing with intelligent scripts, minimizes operational disruptions via continuous anomaly detection, and provides valuable insights from complex data to improve processes and products. Qniverse utilizes advanced AI technologies to enhance its quality assurance services, integrating intelligent automation and analytics into its QA processes. Specifically, Qniverse employs advanced machine learning algorithms such as natural language processing (NLP) for automatic test case generation from user stories, predictive analytics to forecast potential defects, and deep learning for pattern recognition in logs and anomaly detection. It also employs AI-powered visual testing for rapid UI regression detection across web and mobile apps. This multi-layered AI approach positions Qniverse as an innovative leader. Qniverse was built with AI at its core from day one, giving it a big advantage over others who try to bolt AI onto old processes. At the heart of it is the 'Quantum Quality Matrix'--a smart system that predicts problems and spots risks in real time, so issues are stopped before they cause trouble. This means customers get what we call 'Zero-Surprise Software Delivery.' With their 'Collaborative AI Testing' approach, AI takes care of the repetitive, time-consuming tasks, while human testers focus on the creative, strategic work and making sure the user experience feels right. The result? Testing that's up to three times faster, catches more issues (even the tricky edge cases), and costs less thanks to AI-managed setups and self-healing scripts. It's a smarter, more scalable way of working that keeps quality high even as projects get bigger and more complex. Qniverse stands as a global pioneer in Quality Assurance (QA) and digital transformation, rewriting the playbook for distinction in today's fast-moving technology landscape. With a presence spanning London, Mumbai, and Kathmandu, Qniverse isn't just another tech firm; it is where quality becomes a dynamic driver of business transformation across fintech, ERP, UX/UI, and mobile sectors. More than delivering software, Qniverse is on a mission to transform perceptions of quality, unlock new frontiers in innovation, and foster trust through transparent, collaborative, and continuously evolving solutions. "Our mission has always been greater than just delivering software; it's about inspiring a transformation in how the world views and pursues quality. By embracing AI and quantum technologies, we're not only delivering superior outcomes for our clients--we're also opening new frontiers for innovation, collaboration, and trust. Qniverse is proof that a passionate team with the right mindset can set new standards for quality everywhere." reflects Uttsah Sharma, CEO and co-founder of Qniverse. Founded in 2021 by visionary leaders Uttsah Sharma (CEO) and Eddie Harford (CIO), Qniverse emerged from a powerful realization: quality should never be an afterthought. Their "Quality Qniversed" ethos infuses every process, product, and partnership, forging a new standard of holistic, value-driven QA. This approach is guided by more than two decades of collective industry experience and a belief that empowered teams and best practices ignite true business success.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
The 'OBSESSION' that is hurting Amazon, as its stock falls behind Nasdaq
In a stock market captivated by artificial intelligence, Amazon .com Inc. is struggling to keep up. The e-commerce giant's shares have been significantly trailing the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 Index this year, according to a recent Bloomberg report. As the report says: In a stock market obsessed with artificial intelligence, is losing ground. The gap widened sharply after Amazon's disappointing earnings report on July 31. While the Nasdaq 100 is up 12% for the year, Amazon's stock has gained just 4.6%, placing it in the bottom half of the index's performers. The company's stock is currently trading at a near-record discount to the index—a stark contrast to the premium it commanded for most of the last two decades. The primary cause for the recent slide was slower-than-expected growth in Amazon's cloud-computing business, Amazon Web Services (AWS). This has fueled investor concern that the company is losing market share to competitors. For many investors, Amazon's stock hasn't seen the same boost from AI investments as other tech giants like Microsoft and Meta Platforms. "For a lot of investors, Amazon just isn't a pure-play way to play a theme you believe in,' said Eric Clark, a portfolio manager quoted by Bloomberg. "People want purity in their investments. And if you want that, Amazon looks like a company that's watered down by all the different businesses.' While Amazon still generates the majority of its sales from e-commerce, its wide-ranging business portfolio—from AWS to Whole Foods—is now being seen as a weakness rather than a strength. The company's diverse investments, which were long a draw for growth-oriented investors, are now seen as a drag on its stock price in an AI-dominated market. Growing competition from Microsoft and Google in Cloud 'hurting' Despite remaining the market leader in cloud computing, AWS's 17% revenue growth in the second quarter was overshadowed by its rivals. For comparison, Microsoft's Azure unit saw a 39% increase in sales, while Google Cloud's sales grew by 32%. Meanwhile, other companies heavily focused on building AI computing capacity are seeing their shares skyrocket. Oracle Corp., which recently partnered with OpenAI to supply massive data center power, has seen its stock price surge by nearly 50% this year. The shares of CoreWeave Inc., an Nvidia-backed cloud computing provider, have more than doubled since its March IPO. 'This new cohort of hyperscalers are going to be the companies we're talking about in five years time,' said Clare Pleydell-Bouverie, co-manager of the Liontrust Global Innovation team. "We're not seeing the same AI induced acceleration" from Amazon, she noted. Amazon stock remains one of the most popular on Wall Street Despite the recent setbacks, many investors remain confident in Amazon's long-term potential. They believe the company's AI investments will eventually pay off by improving efficiency and customer targeting across its many businesses. The stock remains one of the most-popular on Wall Street, with over 90% of the 82 analysts who cover it rating it a "buy," according to Bloomberg data. This is a higher buy percentage than either Meta or Alphabet Inc. Eric Clark believes Amazon looks "under-appreciated" right now, but he's confident that its AI investments, especially within AWS, will eventually boost its bottom line.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Beyond hype, AI becoming workplace reality for white-, blue-collar workers: Study
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills Artificial intelligence (AI) has moved beyond hype and entered workplace reality, with 34% of professionals across both white- and blue-collar roles expecting to use generative AI (GenAI) tools frequently in the near future, according to a workforce study by jobs portal Indeed According to 'The Work Ahead' report by Indeed, two in 10 blue-collar workers are already using GenAI at work.A quarter of the respondents from a sample of more than 3,000 white- and blue-collar workers across India are already anticipating the adoption of agentic AI tools and systems that can automate complex tasks, the report the sample, 43% feel confident about the technologies they expect to use in the next two to five years. The report further highlighted that nearly 49% of mid-career professionals aged 35 to 54 outpaced younger peers aged 18 to 24 in AI adoption and staying confident while navigating AI-integrated workplaces.'There's a determined confidence building across India's workforce,' said Sashi Kumar, head of Sales, Indeed India. 'The rise in interest around agentic AI signals that we are at the beginning of a transformation, one where job seekers are not just responding to change but leading it.'Additionally, 56% of mid-career professionals emphasised training and skill enhancement compared to just 41% of their younger counterparts for them to adapt to changing workflows. Notably, nearly one-third of workers expressed concern about job security if they couldn't keep up with technological leaders had anticipated greater adoption of AI agents alongside a greater 'co-mingling' between humans and machines.
