Deep inside Alphabet, the parent company of Google, a secretive lab is working on a promise so audacious it sounds like science fiction: to “solve all diseases.” The company, Isomorphic Labs, is now preparing to start its first human clinical trials for cancer drugs designed entirely by artificial intelligence.
In a recent interview with Fortune, Colin Murdoch, President of Isomorphic Labs and Chief Business Officer of Google DeepMind, confirmed the company is on the verge of this monumental step. For anyone who has watched a loved one battle a devastating illness, the hope this offers is immense. But for a public increasingly wary of AI’s power, it raises a chilling question: can we really trust a “black box” algorithm with our lives?
We’ll have to see what happens if this all goes well or not.
If it goes well, we’ll have to see the effectiveness of the drugs, as they are more effective than conventional ones.
If the latter happens, let’s look at the legal aspect. Can products made with AI be patented?
If they can’t be patented, we’ll see many companies launch these drugs as generics and at a lower price, in addition to being more effective. Big Pharma will likely start suing to avoid losing customers, and it will be interesting to see people support these companies just because they are against AI.
Not to mention that this could benefit them and that they wouldn’t have to pay so many medical bills or such expensive drugs that are actually very cheap to produce.