OpenAI has developed an AI model to study longevity science
Even a protein of a typical length can be changed in nearly infinite ways (since they’re built from hundreds of amino acids, and each acid comes in 20 possible varieties). And even a protein of typical length can be changed in nearly infinite ways (since they’re built from hundreds of amino acids, and each acid comes in 20 possible varieties).
OpenAI’s model, however, often spits out suggestions in which a third of the amino acids in the proteins were changed.
OPENAI
“We threw this model into the lab immediately and we got real-world results,” says Retro’s CEO, Joe Betts-Lacroix. The model’s suggestions were he says, “exceptionally good”. They led to significant improvements in the Yamanaka factors. It would be very useful for us. He says that
cells are easily reprogramable, but not other cells. It’s difficult to reprogram a new species, because it’s so different. You don’t even get any results. Betts-Lacroix says that it’s similar to when AlphaGo beat the best human Go player, but took a while to figure out why. “We are still figuring out what it does, and we think the way we apply this is only scratching the surface.”
OpenAI says no money changed hands in the collaboration. But because the work could benefit Retro–whose biggest investor is Altman–the announcement may add to questions swirling around the OpenAI CEO’s side projects.[Skin cells]Last year, the Wall Street Journal said Altman’s wide-ranging investments in private tech startups amount to an “opaque investment empire” that is “creating a mounting list of potential conflicts,” since some of these companies also do business with OpenAI.
In Retro’s case, simply being associated with Altman, OpenAI, and the race toward AGI could boost its profile and increase its ability to hire staff and raise funds. Betts-Lacroix refused to answer whether or not the company was currently fundraising. OpenAI claims Altman wasn’t directly involved in the project and that they never make decisions based on Altman’s other investments.
