a16z Podcast Can AI Advance Science? DeepMind's VP of Science Weighs In
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May 1, 2024 
Pushmeet Kohli, VP of Research for Science at DeepMind, teams up with Vijay Pande, a Stanford professor and venture capitalist. Together, they dive into the revolutionary role of AI in scientific discovery. They discuss how tools like AlphaFold have changed protein structure prediction, impacting drug development and accessibility for scientists worldwide. The conversation highlights AI's potential to tackle global challenges and transform research methodologies, emphasizing the importance of open-sourcing AI for innovation in drug design.
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Pushmeet's Path to DeepMind
- Pushmeet Kohli's journey into AI and science began in applied mathematics at Microsoft Research.
- He initially declined DeepMind's offer, focused on games, but was later convinced by Demis Hassabis' vision.
Vijay's Early Work with AI in Biology
- Vijay Pande, formerly a professor at Stanford across various departments including Chemistry and Computer Science, saw the potential of AI in biology's increasing data.
- He founded Folding@home in 2000, leveraging GPUs early on and contributing to the convergence of data, compute, and algorithms.
Biology's Industrial Revolution
- Biology is undergoing an industrial revolution, driven by AI and robotics, leading to increased data and industrialized processes.
- This revolution, similar to the 1920s technological boom, will transform life sciences and healthcare, which currently comprise 25% of US GDP.