On September 25, SeedAI had the privilege of moderating a panel for the Senate AI Caucus exploring how the U.S. government can help to accelerate scientific discovery with AI. The event took place at the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington D.C., and speakers included Helena Fu, Director of the Office of Critical and Emerging Technologies at Department of Energy; Tom Mitchell, Founders University Professor of Machine Learning at Carnegie Mellon Institute; Sam Rodriques, CEO of FutureHouse; John Wilbanks, Head of Data at Astera. 

AI holds enormous potential to transform and accelerate the scientific enterprise. From autonomous “self-driving” laboratories to generative models that can predict the structure of proteins, researchers are already tapping into AI to improve the productivity of science. The stakes are enormous – new lifesaving treatments for disease, new materials that could lead to breakthroughs in clean energy, and countless other ways to materially improve Americans’ quality of life. The discussion focused on how policymakers can ensure progress is as fast as possible and that its benefits reach all Americans.