Scientists are successfully using AI hallucinations as a tool for breakthrough research, reports William J. Broad in The New York Times. These computer-generated imaginings are helping researchers develop new proteins, design drugs, and advance medical treatments. Nobel Prize winner David Baker used AI hallucinations to create millions of new proteins not found in nature, leading to potential cancer treatments and antiviral medications. The technology accelerates the scientific discovery process from years to minutes.
Researchers like Amy McGovern, director of a federal AI institute, emphasize that unlike problematic chatbot hallucinations, scientific AI imaginings are grounded in physical facts and verified through rigorous testing. Notable successes include a new bacterial-resistant catheter design by Caltech researchers and improved weather forecasting systems. Scientists at institutions like DeepMind and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center are embracing this technology despite debate over the term “hallucination.” The approach has already yielded practical applications in drug delivery, hormone tracking, and influenza treatment research.