What if Generative AI can generate biology? | Geoff von Maltzahn | TEDxMIT

Over the course of human medicine, new advances have arisen through two processes: Discovery and Engineering. With the rise of generative AI, many new biotechnologies will arise through another word: Generate.

Billions of years of Nature's discoveries have created the living world around us and an extraordinary diversity of protein molecules, which serve as the engines of life and a large portion of modern medicines. Despite the immensity of protein diversity in biology, Nature and medicine have only had the opportunity to sample a minuscule fraction of the vast expanses of possible proteins.

Inspired generative AI advances in images and language several years ago, we asked "What if ... we can generate biology?"

[olimiemma]

This was amazing. It was refreshing to listen to people outside tech and tech companies talk about generative AI. We need more people from other fields to tell us about how Gen AI is helping or contributing to those fields.

[acpatel]

I am impressed. Very smooth, simplified, yet elegant explanation of complex topic that a average person can understand. Very good presentation. Please keep up the good work. Thank you.

[hannah]

This was really eye opening. Incredible change to come in the future ahead.

[EricSable]

Geoff this is incredible news, and you've discussed it here in such a positive and encouraging format. Thank you for sharing with your community and all of us

[tartunian]

This is very motivating. The potential for artificial intelligence to do great things is much higher when applied to biology, as opposed to entertainment, the workplace, etc. There are hundreds of ways that large tech companies will market the current state of AI technology to us, but what is that worth compared to curing disease?

[derasor]

Yes, interaction. This is what needs to be supported and accelerated and be given a stargate-level resources. Outstanding 👏👏👏👏👏🙌

[michaelkendall]

There will come a time in the not-so-distant future where we will be able to generate genome-specific care to the individual vs the broad options we have now. What a wonderful time to be alive!

[thirdeyeinthemaking]

Fascinating content and crystal clear presentation by Geoff.👍

[CoronaryArteryDisease.]

I pray every day that more computer scientists will work in molecular biology. The harvest is ready for reaping in biology because of machine learning. The time to advance our species even further is now.

[VR_Wizard]

Quantum computers where expected to solve the biology riddle, simulating all the expected interactions but maybe deep learning can bring us there even quicker. Exciting times.

[TourniquetTwin]

This is both fascinating and horrifying at the same time. Life is an incredibly, complex, versatile process, and if AI can design any life form from its genetic material up, we need to seriously discuss the ethics of this technology and the potential implications, both good and bad, it could have for our future, before continuing to develop it uncritically. I can’t think of a more fitting situation to pack out the “with great power comes great responsibility” quote.
If the promise of this tech does come to fruition, we also need to make sure this kind of miraculous medicine is distributed less unfairly than other medical technologies which have improved some people’s health outcomes, but remain entirely unavailable to others.

[mallow]

These people have no idea how impactful this talk is

[TheNewOriginals]

Wow! Excellent presentation! I just want to be a healthy 25 again .

[TaylorCks]

Nice talk. I love the graphics examples. Seems promising, time will tell.

[GimR]

What type of science would I want to study to learn more about the genome, DNA, and Proteins?

[MP]

Great talk Geoff. Very excited for the future of generative biology!

[LoisSharbel]

Excellent presentation! Fascinating! Hopeful!

[benfarrow]

Focusing on the positive constructive applications of Ai generative tech. Awesome! Seems like a lot will be in the sciences which is fascinating.

[AbramBailey]

The one thing he didn't address with his drop of water analogy is that organisms are made up of a very delicate balance of proteins in complex systems that have evolved in parallel to provide organism wide homeostasis. Before we start expanding to the second drop of water, we need to carefully consider the larger systems that we're tampering with at the organism level and beyond (ecosystems etc) and make sure the AI systems see the whole picture before fiddling with the knobs of nature.

[nickfosterxx]

Remarkable new medicines that will transform the lives of all humanity, if they can afford them.