From Decade-Long Research to Rapid Solution: How Google’s AI Cracked the Superbug Mystery in Just 48 Hours!

The Power of AI: Researchers at Imperial College London have made a groundbreaking discovery with the help of a tool called “co-scientist,” developed by Google. This AI took just 48 hours to solve a problem about antibiotic-resistant superbugs—a task that took the researchers nearly a decade to tackle.

Professor José R Penadés shared with the BBC that this AI reached the same conclusion as his team: superbugs can produce a tail that helps them move between species. You can think of it as a key that lets these bugs travel from one type of bacteria to another.

Penadés insists that their research was original and unpublished, so the AI couldn’t have accessed it. He even contacted Google to check if they had any insights into his work, and they confirmed they did not.

Interestingly, the AI came up with four more hypotheses, all of which made sense to the team. One idea, which they hadn’t thought of before, is now under investigation.

Co-scientist is powered by Gemini 2.0. This multi-agent AI acts as a “virtual scientific collaborator,” helping generate new ideas and speed up discoveries in science and medicine.

AI has sparked many discussions. Critics worry about its impact on jobs, including for scientists like Penadés. He understands these concerns but believes the benefits of this powerful tool outweigh the downsides.

Penadés is now fully convinced about the role of AI in science. He stated, “This will change science, definitely.” He feels like he’s playing in a major league now, thanks to this technology.

Image credit: CDC