Where Is All the A.I.-Driven Scientific Progress?

In this episode of Hard Fork, hosts Kevin Roos and Casey Newton interview Sam Rodriques, CEO of FutureHouse and Edison Scientific, about the current state and future of AI in scientific research. Sam explains how his company is building an AI scientist called KOSMOS, which can accelerate scientific discovery by automating data analysis and hypothesis generation. The conversation covers the capabilities, costs, and limitations of KOSMOS, as well as the broader landscape of AI applications in science, including protein folding, generative models, and robotics. Sam also addresses the hype around AI's potential to cure diseases, emphasizing the importance of clinical trials and the need for reliable benchmarks to measure progress. The discussion concludes with a game of "Overhyped or Underhyped" and insights into the top AI-driven scientific advancements and future trends.