Using AI in Genetics (In a Good Way)

 In recent years, Artificial Intelligence has been taking the world by storm. It’s place in our lives has been a very controversial topic, but it doesn’t have to be all bad. In the genetics field, AI has been helping scientists unlock the secrets of DNA faster than ever before. The EVO 2 project, created at Stanford University, has recently made revolutionary advancements. This AI is designed to simulate and analyze entire genomes up to 1 million nucleotides long from scratch.
EVO 2 was trained by processing thousands of DNA sequences, allowing it to learn how genetic code is structured, expressed, and translated into proteins. With this data, it can not only predict how genes will behave, but also simulate how the proteins will form and function in the body. This kind of tech shows a lot of potential for understanding basic biology, but even more importantly, being able to identify and correct harmful or unwanted genetic mutations. One of the most promising uses of EVO 2 is its ability to predict mutations, or track the source of a mutation in the genome. This could completely change how we approach rare genetic disorders, cancer, and even hereditary conditions. Instead of relying on trial and error, researchers can use EVO 2 to simulate how a single mutation might affect a person’s health before any symptoms ever show up.