One of the most important uses of AI is to boost and improve scientific processes, and Google remains at the forefront of life-changing technology with their new AI-powered system AlphaFold.
Created by the AI research team at Google DeepMind, AlphaFold is shaking up the world of biology, and it’s easier to understand than you think.
Here are five fun facts about AlphaFold you need to know:
1. AlphaFold is a protein shapeshifter
AlphaFold uses AI to figure out the 3D structure of proteins from their amino acid sequence, often with accuracy that rivals lab experiments.
2 .It’s mapped millions of proteins
AlphaFold has predicted the structure of over 200 million proteins – that’s practically every protein we know. What’s even better is that the AlphaFold Protein Structure Database makes all this data freely available.
3. AlphaFold is a global gamechanger
More than 2.5 million people in 190 countries are using AlphaFold. In fact, Asia Pacific alone has over 1 million users—that’s over a third of the world’s total users of the system.
4. It’s a time and money saver
With its AI computing power, AlphaFold is potentially saving millions of dollars and hundreds of millions of years in research time. AlphaFold Server is also speeding up new research by predicting how proteins interact with other biomolecules. From studies and research on rice to honeybees to Parkinson’s, it’s already making a difference.
5. AlphaFold has won a Nobel Prize
It didn’t take long for AlphaFold to make huge waves in the world of science. The groundbreaking impact of AlphaFold was recognized with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in October 2024.
“Realizing the full potential of artificial intelligence, AlphaFold is a testament to the power of AI to accelerate scientific discovery,” says Dhavanthi Hariharan, Senior Product Manager at Google DeepMind. “It’s incredible to see researchers around the world using AlphaFold to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges, and we’re definitely looking forward to seeing how its results will make the world a better place.”
The AlphaFold database can be freely accessed here.
