Have we entered a new age of AI-enabled scientific discovery?

AI systems are increasingly contributing to scientific breakthroughs, with 2024 Nobel prizes recognizing AI pioneers and researchers using tools like ChatGPT for discoveries in physics, mathematics, and drug development. While current AI excels at finding patterns in existing data, critics argue it lacks creativity for groundbreaking discoveries and often produces unreliable results requiring human oversight. Companies like Insilico Medicine have used AI to identify disease-causing proteins and design corresponding drugs, while systems like AlphaFold advance protein research, suggesting AI's role as a powerful research tool rather than independent scientist.