Reflecting on childhood lessons about computers in the 2000s, it was emphasized that communicating with a computer required specific knowledge of the grammar and syntax of elaborate coding languages. Two decades later, the margin between the languages of computers and humans is as narrow as ever. When I found out about the release of ChatGPT, a type of artificial intelligence (AI) known as a large language model, I was ecstatic about trying this technology for myself. I spent hours “conversing” with ChatGPT about biology, practicing my German, and even had it write some silly haikus.
While scanning potential sessions to attend at the 2024 SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo, I jumped at the opportunity to see how scientists were applying artificial intelligence in their research. At the In Vitro Toxicology Lecture and Luncheon for Students, I watched Dr. Thomas Hartung guide a packed audience of student trainees, postdocs, and professionals through his talk titled “ToxAIcology–AI Will Only Replace Toxicologists Who Do Not Use It!”.
In 2024, one of the resources in greatest demand is datasets large enough to feed machine learning models to drive advancements in AI. By harnessing enhanced computing power and efficient information storage, the volume of data that humans are collecting is doubling every 18 months, with 90% of the world’s data generated in the last three years alone. Artificial intelligence is learning from a sea of information from high content cell culture images, results from ’omics approaches, and literature by scientists across the globe. This convergence of massive datasets is being leveraged to fill gaps in knowledge and make predictions about chemicals with limited toxicological information.
The unveiling of AI in today’s evolving technological landscape has left me at a crossroads of concern and excitement. Technology is supposed to simplify our lives, and it seems that our world will only become more complicated with the debut of publicly accessible AI. On one hand, cybercrime and plagiarism will become more prevalent, and some human jobs may even become obsolete. Despite the risks, AI is here to stay and is already applied to novel toxicology paradigms. AI offers faster performance, increased technical output, heightened sensitivity to subtle nuances, and the ability to implement unconventional approaches to problem solving.
While it is unlikely that AI will replace toxicologists overnight, our profession seems to have undergone significant transformation in a short period of time. I am optimistic about the future that AI will help humans create. Dr. Hartung’s best analogy is that AI will serve as a “copilot for toxicologists,” a valuable electronic companion aiding us in the pursuit of elucidating the unknown mechanisms of chemical toxicity.
This blog was prepared by an SOT Reporter and represents the views of the author. SOT Reporters are SOT members who volunteer to write about sessions and events in which they participate during the SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo. SOT does not propose or endorse any position by posting this article. If you are interested in participating in the SOT Reporter program in the future, please email SOT Headquarters.
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