AI-driven Science: Solving Old Mysteries or Inspiring New Questions?

AI-driven science is revolutionising how we approach long-standing theoretical questions, providing solutions to puzzles that have perplexed humanity for centuries. Examples include confirming the existence of gravitational waves, which allow us to predict cosmic phenomena, and solving the structure of complex proteins, which accelerates drug discovery. AI's ability to process and analyse vast datasets far exceeds human capabilities, enabling the resolution of mysteries that were previously beyond our reach. AI-driven research is not just about solving existing puzzles; it's about unlocking entirely new realms of inquiry. The concept of "Alien Intelligence" suggests that AI's unique thought processes can lead to novel hypotheses and methods of investigation. AI's pattern recognition capabilities can identify previously unnoticed correlations in large datasets, potentially leading to breakthroughs in understanding complex systems like the human brain or climate change. Therefore, AI will not only extend our knowledge frontier but also redefine it, inspiring inquiries into phenomena we have yet to imagine. This debate was intended to juxtapose the perspective that AI-driven science will primarily solve existing theoretical puzzles, with the view that it will fundamentally transform the scientific inquiry process, inspiring entirely new questions and fields of study.

Description

MP4 video, Size: 1.21 GB; Duration: 01:55:27

Contributor ORCIDs

Bekker, Martin

; Marivate, Vukosi

; Moodley, Deshen ; Jankelow, David

; Moodley, Avashlin

; Veldsman, Susan

Subject

Artificial Intelligence , AI-driven Science , SDG 4

Citation

Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), (2024). AI-driven Science: Solving Old Mysteries or Inspiring New Questions [Online] Available at: https://youtu.be/HMaIudO8M2E

Peer review status

Non-Peer Reviewed

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11911/415

Collections

I. Other

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