It's a scary and exciting concept: the possibility that aging may not be the inevitable end of humanity, as it was thought. It seemed like the kind of thing that only exists in science fiction and flying cars and teleportation in the foreseeable future.
Now, we have a new and rapidly growing tool to do just that: artificial intelligence.
Researchers and other experts are now suggesting that artificial intelligence is able to solve one of the most difficult questions in biology, how to slow down, stop and reverse the aging process itself. This is not necessarily to make us live longer.
It may be possible to use AI to achieve the biological equivalent of long-term better health, as seen in this report.
But I'm going to pause that for a second. You might ask: “But how can AI be used to achieve this?” However, as this explains in detail, researchers can use AI to show how cells work, how proteins fold and which compounds can work together, instead of using real experiments to test these interactions and reactions.
By doing so, scientists can use AI to replicate multiple experiments to find potential results, and all of this happens much faster than traditional scientific studies.
This is also the reason why biotech companies will make significant progress in 2025.
That being said, the dose of truth is just right. Many researchers lack enthusiasm for immediate life-prolonging interventions.
They do not see aging as a single problem with a single fix, but rather as a complex network of interrelated processes, the mechanisms of which we do not yet fully understand. AI can help, no doubt, but there is certainly no silver bullet.
However, in the face of these warnings, one thing is certain, many investors are betting on the power of artificial intelligence to extend human life.
Billionaires and venture capitalists, as well as big pharma firms, all see the same thing: AI can accelerate scientific discovery, which can translate into longer lives.
Some companies are already using AI to identify so-called “aging biomarkers,” which are molecular markers in the body that reveal how quickly a person is aging from the inside out; that development itself is a major milestone, as emerging biotech companies focus on it.
There is also an unpleasant side problem that persists: who will have this? If AI leads to longer lives, it won't come equally to everyone at the same time.
Will it be another example of the rich getting richer (and living longer)? This issue, along with concerns related to equity and fairness, is being discussed as AI transforms healthcare systems in different parts of the world.
Then there is the human part. In other words, everyone wants the same thing, more time, more birthdays, more conversations, more second chances. But if we had more time, how would we use it?
We may solve the aging problem, but we will face a host of other problems. It is true that while some scientists are optimistic about the possibilities, others are skeptical or excited.
I'd say we're in the middle of nowhere, and that AI isn't a miracle cure, but it's certainly speeding things up, just not as much as we'd imagine. Yes, the possibility of reversing the effects of aging sounds crazy at this point. But it also doesn't talk to a machine for the past few years. And that's where we are today.
