Artificial intelligence could ‘revolutionise’ chemistry but researchers warn of hype
Survey of European scientists sees them stress the importance of human experts in chemical research
Artificial Intelligence can revolutionise science by making it faster, more efficient and more accurate, according to a survey of European Research Council (ERC) grant winners. And while the report looks at the impact of AI on all scientific fields, the field of chemistry, especially, can be expected to benefit greatly from the revolution, say researchers. But there are also warnings that AI is being overhyped, and avowals of the importance of human experts in chemical research.
The ERC report summarises how 300 researchers are using AI in their work, and what they see as its potential impacts and risks by 2030. Researchers in the physical sciences report that AI has become essential for data analysis, and for working on advanced simulations. They also note the applications of AI systems to perform calculations, to operate instruments and to control complex systems.