Biotechnology is experiencing a revolutionary phase unlike anything seen in recent history.
Spectacular advancements in biotech cover everything from CRISPR gene-editing technology to massive data analytics systems, to tailored therapeutics. And facilitating all this development is the most important technological innovation of our time: artificial intelligence.
Whether it’s machine learning systems, informatics, deep learning algorithms, or even advanced robotics, AI is at the heart of it all. The pace of change has been breathtaking, as AI has accelerated the evolution of the biotechnology industry in ways few could have imagined. It plays a critical role in pushing the boundaries of possibilities in transforming the field of biotechnology.
There’s no question that advances in biotechnology research today are heavily reliant on computing power and data analysis. Data is essential to the biotech industry.
Gone forever are the days of lab-coated researchers conducting painstaking experiments and laboriously recording notes with pen and paper. Advancements in biotech require the use of powerful algorithms that can analyze huge quantities of data and drive better business insights.
AI in biotechnology can be applied to drug research and manufacturing, chemical analysis, gene and protein sequencing, and much else. It all boils down to this: artificial intelligence can do the number-crunching work of thousands of human researchers with greater accuracy and in far less time.
And the dividends for biotechnology are virtually incalculable. The challenges to human health are many, but AI is leveling the playing field and furnishing scientists with the tools they need to start making consequential gains in the battle against the disease.
In some ways, the term “artificial intelligence” is a misnomer.
That’s because these programs aren’t really sentient in a human manner. But their powers of calculation are so advanced, so sophisticated, that they can in many ways mimic human intelligence. For instance, machine learning programs can unearth patterns in datasets that might otherwise elude human researchers.
It’s this feature of AI that makes it such a powerful tool. And the applications for this new power are extraordinarily diverse.
So let’s take a look at just a few of the many ways that artificial intelligence is revolutionizing biotech and paving the way for a fascinating future.
One of the most important applications of AI in biotechnology is research and development. The raw computing power of AI programs aids in the development of new drugs, novel chemicals, and numerous other biochemical innovations. AI has also been useful in the race to develop new vaccines and boosters to combat COVID-19 and its many variants.
The beauty of using machine learning algorithms for this purpose is that it greatly speeds up the discovery process. Rather than slow, painstaking lab experiments, the process is moved to the virtual space and accelerated a thousandfold or more.
And the predictive powers of AI can even be used to determine what the level of demand might be for new drugs or biochemical compounds.
Another benefit of AI’s number-crunching prowess is the ability to quickly analyze and categorize large amounts of data.
We’ve seen how useful this is for faster drug discovery and chemical innovation. But it’s also important for divining patterns in medical data, and perhaps sussing out the presence of disease amidst all that noise. Furthermore, gene editing and enzyme analysis require sifting through enormous information sets, something for which AI is ideally suited.
Artificial intelligence has been especially useful in diagnosing illnesses. Machine learning, for instance, greatly enhances the accuracy of multiple diagnostic tools. This means that doctors and medical personnel can catch the appearance of disease far earlier, thereby improving health and survival chances.
Among the most remarkable uses of artificial intelligence is in the nascent field of gene editing.
The CRISPR-Cas9 genomic editing technology enables scientists to make changes to the DNA of living creatures. It is, without question, the most “science fiction” of the new instruments in biotech’s toolkit. But it also requires AI to enhance the accuracy of gene editing and produce better outcomes.
Human error is a concern in every endeavor. In gene editing, where the stakes are so high, AI reduces the human component and eliminates a potential source of debilitating mistakes.
Finally, we shouldn’t overlook the applications of AI to industrial biotech innovation.
The greater information processing of artificial intelligence allows researchers to discover many new biopolymers and novel chemicals for a variety of industrial purposes. This includes new fuels, power sources, textiles, materials, and biochemicals.
The uses of AI in industrial biotechnology are myriad, and it is in this field, perhaps more than others, that our day-to-day lives will be most affected.
These are only a very few of the many ways in which artificial intelligence has altered the biotechnology industry. The biotech, life sciences, and pharmaceutical industries have progressed significantly with the application of AI and related computerized tools.
Whereas before biotech innovation seemed to proceed at a snail’s pace, the use of AI has accelerated research and development to unheard-of levels. Artificial intelligence is changing the nature of biotech, one innovation at a time.
There’s no time like now to make the most of AI in biotech. By integrating AI at the earliest stages of your business, you can cut expenses and boost efficiency.
The best lab management solutions, like Labwise XD, can drive efficient lab processes, instill consistency, improve quality, and support compliance. One of Xybion’s Labwise XD key features is its powerful data analytics that drives every aspect of your laboratory’s operations to mitigate nonconformances and risks. It is a unified solution that replaces 10–12 different pieces of software that an organization typically needs to stay on top of the core business processes.
So go ahead and book a demo today to see what Labwise XD can do for your team.
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