Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed an AI scientist that autonomously generates hypotheses, designs experiments, and interprets results for biological research on brewer's yeast. The closed-loop system combines large language models, automated reasoning, and laboratory automation to conduct discovery with minimal human intervention, potentially accelerating research across biology, medicine, and biotechnology.
Neuroscientist Anil Seth won the 2025 Berggruen Prize Essay Competition for an essay exploring whether artificial intelligence could become conscious and why that possibility matters. Seth examines the cultural history of synthetic consciousness in fiction, the serious questions raised by AI researchers about machine consciousness, and the profound implications for both AI systems and human self-understanding.