More than 10,000 academic papers are published around the world every day. The amount of data and knowledge contained in these papers is so vast that it is beyond the capacity of human beings to collate and curate it all in ways that can bring together studies that appear unrelated to produce new discoveries and lines of research.
AI has no such limitations, however. What is the potential to use AI in this way to address issues such as climate change as well as to develop new therapies for hard-to-treat diseases and produce scientific breakthroughs in other areas?
Using AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has developed into a powerful tool in the research domain, significantly enhancing search and discovery capabilities, says Dr Mark Connor, assistant professor, School of Business, UCD. “Recent advancements in natural language processing, driven by the proliferation of large language models such as ChatGPT, GPT-4, LLaMA 3, and Gemini, have equipped researchers and scientists with new ways to manage and analyse the vast quantities of data and information.
There are several ways AI can be used in research including modelling, analysis, natural language processing and data management right up to synthetic design, molecule design and clinical diagnostics, agrees Emmet Dowling, EY Ireland technology consulting partner and head of data and artificial intelligence. “Full potential has not been reached yet for a number of reasons, including the pace of innovation changing the potential at a rapid rate and also because of users becoming more advanced in terms of asking the AI ‘better questions’.”
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The forefront of innovation
In the rapidly evolving landscape of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) stands at the forefront, poised to revolutionise diverse sectors, says Derek Collins, director of research collaboration and innovation, Huawei Ireland Research Centre. “From mitigating the dire impacts of climate change to pioneering new treatments for intractable diseases, the potential of AI to drive significant scientific breakthroughs is becoming increasingly evident.
“As global challenges grow more complex, integrating AI into R&D will lead to unprecedented advancements, which will offer innovative solutions to some of the topical issues affecting humanity.”
The dark side of AI
AI is not without its drawbacks, says Dr Connor. “For instance, algorithms can be susceptible to bias, which can be amplified by the data used to create them. This issue is particularly evident in large language models developed using data scraped from the internet, which is often fraught with various inaccuracies and biases. These defects can become embedded in the models and subsequently manifest through their outputs.
“Consequently, researchers must exercise caution when employing AI models to support their research. It is essential to implement measures to ensure the rigour and reproducibility of their research, mitigating the risks associated with biased or flawed models and data.”
AI-driven innovations
Precision ALS is a research programme involving researchers at the SFI research centres, ADAPT and FutureNeuro, along with the TRICALS Consortium, says Collins. “National and international industry partners and charities are also actively participating. Precision ALS will provide an innovative platform for ALS research across Europe, that will then harness AI to analyse large amounts of data.
“Research to find an effective treatment for ALS to date has yielded little success. A radical change in perspective is needed in late translational and early clinical research. Precision ALS aims to shift the focus of research from laboratory-based work and animal models to applied clinical research in collaboration with those people affected by the disease.”
The programme cements Ireland’s world leadership position in the application of AI and machine learning to ALS research and will generate scores of new jobs in clinical and data science research, new technologies and drug development.
Funding the future
Dowling says it is important to understand that national policy needs to help drive the various ecosystems and job opportunities related to AI and GenAI in the State. “Funding is massively important, and we are seeing a global arms race when we consider the various investments in AI being made by governments across the globe.
“The €500 million Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) has been established under Project Ireland 2040 to support AI-related businesses or partnerships that will develop, deploy and commercialise disruptive technologies to transform business.”