Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making waves across various sectors, from healthcare to material science. Here’s a look at some of the latest developments.
OpenAI’s new model, GPT-o1, has been released but seems to be suitable only for a niche group of users. Professor Ethan Mollick from the Wharton School suggests that GPT-o1 is beneficial for those dealing with specific, complex problems. He advises most users to stick with existing AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini. While GPT-o1 is powerful, it’s not designed for everyday use by the general public. Its strengths lie in academic research at a doctoral level and specialized fields such as finance. For example, Professor Derya Unutmaz, an immunologist, has used GPT-o1 to develop complex biological experiments. OpenAI is offering ten ChatGPT Pro scholarships to medical researchers and plans to release an API version soon. Despite being labeled as the “smartest model in the world” by OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman, its high cost of $200 for the Pro version is justified mainly for specialized applications.
Amazon is also diving deeper into AI by opening a new research lab in San Francisco, focused on developing AI agents. Led by David Luan, co-founder of Adept, the Amazon AGI SF Lab aims to create AI systems capable of performing complex tasks in both digital and physical environments. The lab will initially consist of former Adept employees. Amazon has already integrated some AI agents into its platforms like Bedrock and Amazon Q Business, and plans to enhance the capabilities of its voice assistant, Alexa. Other tech giants like Microsoft, Anthropic, and OpenAI are also working on similar AI agents.
In China, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has launched an antitrust investigation against Nvidia. This follows Nvidia’s acquisition of Israeli network specialist Mellanox in 2020. The Chinese authority accuses Nvidia of violating conditions of the acquisition approval, such as bundling products from both companies. This investigation is seen as a response to tightened U.S. trade restrictions, which have banned the export of advanced AI chips to China since November 2024.
The German digital association Bitkom is advocating for relaxed data protection regulations to facilitate AI training. Bitkom argues that strict data protection laws put companies at a competitive disadvantage internationally. They propose that using personal data for AI training should be considered a legitimate interest of companies. Currently, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) only allows processing of personal data under specific conditions, one of which is legitimate interest. The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) is expected to provide clarity on this issue soon.
AI is also revolutionizing material science. A study by a MIT economist revealed that AI-assisted research teams discovered 44% more new materials and filed 39% more patents. The study involved a U.S. company developing inorganic materials for various industries. The AI tool used combines neural networks with reinforcement learning, trained with data from the Materials Project and the Alexandria Materials Database. Researchers input desired material properties, and the system suggests new structures, which are then tested and refined. Top researchers benefit the most from AI support, while less experienced scientists often face challenges with false positives. However, some researchers reported reduced job satisfaction, as AI takes over more creative tasks.
In healthcare, AI is improving early breast cancer detection. A study by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) found that AI increased cancer detection rates by 21%. AI acts as a “second pair of eyes” for radiologists reviewing mammography images. In cases of discrepancies between AI and radiologists, a second radiologist is consulted. The study involved mammography screenings of over 747,000 women in the U.S., showing significantly higher cancer detection rates across ten clinics. While patients currently bear the cost of AI support, a British study also confirmed improved tumor detection with AI. Dr. Gregory Sorensen, the study leader, noted that 36% of women with access to AI-assisted screening choose this option. Further studies are planned to gather more data on AI’s benefits in this area.