Does AI Undermine Scientific Discovery?

 

Automation is great, right? It speeds up what needs to get done. But is that always a good thing? What about in the process of scientific discovery? Yes, AI can automate a lot of science by running thousands of virtual experiments and generating results - but is something lost in the process? My guest, Ramón Alvarado a professor of philosophy and a member of the Philosophy and Data Science Initiative at the University of Oregon, thinks something crucial is missing: serendipity. Many significant scientific discoveries occurred by happenstance. Penicillin, for instance, was discovered by Alexander Fleming who accidentally left a petri dish on a bench before going off for vacation. Exactly what is the scientific value of serendipity, how important is it, and how does AI potentially impinge on it? That’s today’s conversation.

 

Listen to the full episode :

Next
Next

The Power of Technologists