014-Can AI build a virtual cell?

This news discusses the ambitious pursuit of creating virtual cells using artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to revolutionize cell biology by shifting it from experimental to computational. Researchers, including those at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) and Google DeepMind, are investing heavily in developing AI models that can predict cellular behavior and drug responses, potentially accelerating disease understanding. While previous computational models existed, the current push leverages advanced AI and massive datasets, particularly single-cell sequencing data, to build more sophisticated representations. However, some scientists express caution, acknowledging the significant hype and funding surrounding virtual cells while noting the early stage of concrete results and the immense challenge involved.

References:

• https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-02011-0