The Automation of Science - Past, Present, and Future - Prof. Ross King

We are pleased to confirm that Prof. Ross King will be presenting on Wednesday, February 25th 2026.

Zoom meeting: https://ed-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/82661083202

Join instructions: https://ed-ac-uk.zoom.us/meetings/82661083202/invitations?signature=0PaDfZOc7G6m8XggpMoiPoqgcJ9amrDp9Xrrl1J6Xio

See the Join instructions or Subscribe to our mailing list for the password of the meeting.

Title: The Automation of Science: Past, Present, and Future

Abstract:

A Robot Scientist (AI scientist, self-driving lab) is a physically implemented robotic system that applies techniques from artificial intelligence to execute cycles of automated scientific experimentation. A Robot Scientist can automatically execute cycles of hypothesis formation, selection of efficient experiments to discriminate between hypotheses, execution of experiments using laboratory automation equipment, and analysis of results. The motivation for developing Robot Scientists is to both to better understand the scientific method, and to make scientific research more efficient. The Robot Scientist ‘Adam’ was the first machine to autonomously discover scientific knowledge. The Robot Scientist ‘Eve’ was developed to automate early-stage drug development, with specific application to neglected tropical diseases such as malaria. I am now working on Genesis, a third-generation Robot Scientist designed to work on yeast systems biology. Genesis will be able to run 100 cycles of hypothesis-led experiment in parallel per day. Large Language Models (LLMs) are transforming AI, however their output cannot be fully trusted. One very promising way forward is to utilise LLMs to output formalised scientific knowledge that can be tested and trusted. In the future I believe that it is likely that advances in AI and lab automation will drive the development of ever-smarter Robot Scientists. Therefore, I am co-organising the ‘Nobel Turing Challenge’ to develop: AI systems capable of making Nobel-quality scientific discoveries highly autonomously at a level comparable, and possibly superior, to the best human scientists by 2050 or sooner.