Artificial intelligence, Science, and Infectious Diseases

Lecture: April 14: 12:30 pm (zoom)

Dr. Alessandra Buccella

Can AI be a scientist?

AI models are becoming incredibly powerful tools to analyze large bodies of scientific data. AI's success in detecting subtle patterns in data has opened new avenues to scientific discoveries, especially in fields like physical and chemistry, where the systems and phenomena being studied are so complex that no human would be able to observe them or make inferences about them without the help of advanced technologies. But does this mean that AI systems will eventually replace human scientists completely, or that science itself will soon become exclusively a matter of collecting and analyzing data? A closer look at scientific practice and how scientific knowledge is produced reveals that the answer can only be 'No'. The expertise, goals, and values of human scientists are what ultimately grounds and justifies everything AI tools are able to achieve.

Dr. Alessandra Buccella is an Assistant Professor in the Philosophy Department at the University at Albany – SUNY. More information: https://alessandrabuccella.com/