What about AI-powered tools for scientific research?

Submitted by greentea387 t3_yghtxv in singularity

What do you think about AI-powered tools for research, like elicit.org?

It can summarize the abstract and extract information out of any paper.

For example, let's take this paper with the title "Intermittent Short Sleep Results in Lasting Sleep Wake Disturbances and Degeneration of Locus Coeruleus and Orexinergic Neurons".

This is the abstract of the paper:

>Study Objectives: Intermittent short sleep (ISS) is pervasive among students and workers in modern societies, yet the lasting consequences of repeated short sleep on behavior and brain health are largely unexplored. Wake-activated neurons may be at increased risk of metabolic injury across sustained wakefulness.
>
>Methods: To examine the effects of ISS on wake-activated neurons and wake behavior, wild-type mice were randomized to ISS (a repeated pattern of short sleep on 3 consecutive days followed by 4 days of recovery sleep for 4 weeks) or rested control conditions. Subsets of both groups were allowed a recovery period consisting of 4-week unperturbed activity in home cages with littermates. Mice were examined for immediate and delayed (following recovery) effects of ISS on wake neuron cell metabolics, cell counts, and sleep/wake patterns.
>
>Results: ISS resulted in sustained disruption of sleep/wake activity, with increased wakefulness during the lights-on period and reduced wake bout duration and wake time during the lights-off period. Noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) and orexinergic neurons showed persistent alterations in morphology, and reductions in both neuronal stereological cell counts and fronto-cortical projections. Surviving wake-activated neurons evidenced persistent reductions in sirtuins 1 and 3 and increased lipofuscin. In contrast, ISS resulted in no lasting injury to the sleep-activated melanin concentrating hormone neurons.
>
>Conclusions: Collectively these findings demonstrate for the first time that ISS imparts significant lasting disturbances in sleep/wake activity, degeneration of wake-activated LC and orexinergic neurons, and lasting metabolic changes in remaining neurons most consistent with premature senescence.

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These are the information generated by the AI:

Abstract summary:

>Intermittent short sleep imparts significant lasting disturbances in sleep/wake activity, degeneration of wake-activated locus coeruleus and orexinergic neurons, and lasting metabolic changes.

Participants:

>18 mice in United States who were either in the "rested control" group or in 1 of the "intermittent short sleep" groups

Outcomes measured:

>- sleep/wake activity
>
>- cell counts
>
>- sleep/wake patterns
>
>- morphology
>
>- projections

It can also answer custom questions. I asked: "What chemical changes resulted in the degeneration of the locus coeruleus?"

It answered:

>The chemical changes that resulted in the degeneration of the locus coeruleus are the loss of SirT1 and SirT3, and the increased lipofuscin.

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It also highlights the text passages which its answers are based on.

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What do you think about tools like this?

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Comments

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Sashinii t1_iu8mwp8 wrote

AI accelerating research will change everything for the better.

For example: we're heading towards a future where medicine will cure every illness.

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HydrousIt t1_iu8utz0 wrote

I could get this AI to answer this for me haha

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tedd321 t1_iu9c86h wrote

I already use GPT-3 for advice about software or career

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AhabJL t1_iu9hgyl wrote

this is amazing specially for student getting into research will get them straight A's

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IdealAudience t1_iu9knxc wrote

sure, great, if done well.. I've used these, or something like it + for news articles.

- there's a bot here on reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/31b9fm/faq_autotldr_bot/

Hard to see how that could be used for evil, unless horribly inaccurate or purposefully manipulated.. maybe let the summaries get an upvote / downvote from respectable experts who have read the paper.

next step - helping to sort the avalanche of papers / reports / and their data - into effective categories..

https://www.axios.com/2020/06/20/coronavirus-artificial-intelligence-science

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and then like a super netflix or amazon recommendation engine - which papers are getting 3, 4, 5 stars (from respectable reviewers.. over time) ..

what do those have in common..

https://www.media.mit.edu/articles/using-machine-learning-to-predict-high-impact-research/

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any1particular t1_iua7sw5 wrote

This was part of the topic on the most recent FYI podcast-

Breaking Down Biotech Innovations with Dr. Bob Langer.

Today’s guest is MIT professor, chemical engineer, scientist, inventor, and investor Dr. Bob Langer. Dr. Langer has over 1,400 granted or pending patents and has been cited 374,000 times (and counting)! As a co-founder of Moderna, he has great insights into the potential of mRNA to treat diseases of various descriptions. Joining us to pick this extraordinary mind is clinically trained entrepreneur, Dr. Charlie Roberts. In this conversation, we discuss emerging biotechnologies, the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in this space, as well as what might be attributed to the current downturn of the market. Dr. Langer lists potential time-to-market accelerators for new therapies and vaccines and shares his advice for those looking to make an impact from an academic and/or entrepreneurial standpoint. Tune in to hear more about the innovations Dr. Langer has been involved in over the years, and what we can look forward to in the future!

https://ark-invest.com/podcast/breaking-down-biotech-innovations/

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Kinexity t1_iuadkm4 wrote

As a person who have seen their fair share of scientific papers - not much of an improvement. Scientific papers use very specific language and structure which already makes extracting information like this very easy. Also most papers are information-dense so it's hard to make them short but it also points out to something that would be actually use case for AI - explaining and elaborating of the content of papers because it is at least sometime the case that new information is thrown at you with links to other sources and reading next 60 papers to fully comprehend the one you're reading right now isn't time efficient.

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