Image: Google DeepMind researchers use AlphaFold, an artificial intelligence system for protein 3D structures. \Network image

[Ta Kung Pao News]The new technological breakthroughs brought by artificial intelligence (AI) are considered to be expected to enter the Nobel Prize Hall. Last September, two scientists from DeepMind, an artificial intelligence company under Google, won the “Basic Medical Research Award” in the “Nobel Prize Vane” Lasker Award with their AlphaFold artificial intelligence system that can predict the three-dimensional structure of proteins.

Over the past half century, predicting protein structure has been one of the most significant challenges in biological science. It is not only time-consuming, but also extremely expensive. AlphaFold is an artificial intelligence system that predicts protein structure. It is led by DeepMind founder and artificial intelligence expert Demis Hassabis and University of Chicago chemistry Ph.D. John Jumper. It can quickly and accurately predict the 3D structure and information of proteins. AlphaFold has successfully solved the problem of biological research, helping to identify the mechanisms of disease and accelerate drug development. In 2020, it was named one of the top ten scientific research achievements by Science magazine. Currently, scientists from 120 countries have used the AlphaFold system and completed more than 620,000 tasks. In September 2023, Hassabis and Jumper won the Basic Medical Research Award in the Lasker Award for AlphaFold’s “revolutionary technology.”

AlphaFold is expected to be used in the development of new drugs. However, the system has not yet “created” a drug that can be used for human clinical trials. It is predicted that AlphaFold is likely to cross this important milestone within a decade, that is, to find a specific method to treat a certain disease. In May of this year, DeepMind and another laboratory under Google (Isomorphic Labs) jointly developed a new model AlphaFold 3, which can accurately predict the structure of all life molecules, including proteins, DNA and RNA, as well as the interactions between them.

Levitt, winner of the 2013 Chemistry Prize, said that one of the purposes of the Nobel Prize is to honor role models, so the prize needs to be awarded to individuals. Kornberg, winner of the 2006 Chemistry Prize, said that AlphaFold technology represents a major advancement in chemical science, and if scientists can be identified as pioneers and important driving forces, then they are likely to win the Nobel Prize. Will artificial intelligence truly become a Nobel Prize-level technology? In the future, it will depend on how much real value it brings to mankind.

(Forbes, Nature)