An AI Agent Injected Drugs Into a Live Mouse’s Brain (www.wired.com)

In a groundbreaking experiment, biotech founder Gabriel Ocana Santero successfully employed an AI agent to perform brain injections on a live mouse. This endeavor, carried out at his startup Exin Therapeutics, highlights the potential for AI to directly engage in laboratory procedures, moving beyond merely analyzing data or designing experiments. The AI model was integrated with a custom-built setup that facilitated the immobilization of the mouse and controlled the injection process as it selected from 19 treatment options for a gene therapy aimed at reducing seizures. The significance of this experiment lies in its exploration of AI's real-world applicability in biomedicine, which could enhance the reliability of AI models by incorporating real-time experimental data and decision-making nuances often absent from scientific literature. The experiment faced challenges, including a technical glitch that necessitated human intervention, underscoring the critical need for oversight when AI interacts with live subjects. Despite the hurdles, the success of the procedure suggests a future where AI agents might work alongside scientists in labs, fundamentally transforming research methodologies while maintaining safety protocols, particularly in sensitive contexts involving live animals.