Artificial Intelligence in Biological Sciences

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI), currently a cutting-edge concept, has the potential to improve the quality of life of human beings. The fields of AI and biological research are becoming more intertwined, and methods for extracting and applying the information stored in live organisms are constantly being refined. As the field of AI matures with more trained algorithms, the potential of its application in epidemiology, the study of host-pathogen interactions and drug designing widens. AI is now being applied in several fields of drug discovery, customized medicine, gene editing, radiography, image processing and medication management. More precise diagnosis and cost-effective treatment will be possible in the near future due to the application of AI-based technologies. In the field of agriculture, farmers have reduced waste, increased output and decreased the amount of time it takes to bring their goods to market due to the application of advanced AI-based approaches. Moreover, with the use of AI through machine learning (ML) and deep-learning-based smart programs, one can modify the metabolic pathways of living systems to obtain the best possible outputs with the minimal inputs. Such efforts can improve the industrial strains of microbial species to maximize the yield in the bio-based industrial setup. This article summarizes the potentials of AI and their application to several fields of biology, such as medicine, agriculture, and bio-based industry.

Keywords: agriculture; artificial intelligence; biotechnology; crop yield; life science; medicine.

Figure 1

Alan Turing designed the Turing Test in 1950. This test includes three participants, a human interrogator, an intelligent machine and another human who we can call A, B and C, respectively. A is not aware of the identity of B and C, and A can send and receive response in only the form of text messages from B and C. A may ask B and C, a variety of questions, and based on their response, if A is unable to distinguish which one of B and C is a computer, then computer B may be considered as intelligent with thinking ability. If a human interrogator A could not distinguish the difference between another human and a computer, then the computer must be intelligent enough to be considered human. This test simply is to figure out whether or not a machine has ability to think.

Figure 2

Timelines highlighting the important breakthroughs in the evolutionary path of artificial intelligence and its application in various fields.

Figure 3

Schematic representation of major components of artificial intelligence and the continuous learning process with the help of natural intelligence to make smarter machines.

Figure 4

A conceptual model that illustrates the application possibilities of artificial intelligence in the disciplines of health, agriculture, animal science and industrial biotechnology.

Figure 5

Agricultural fields where artificial intelligence (AI) could have a positive impact.