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AI Will Cure Us All!! Or Not!! - EP 84 Abhi Mahajan

Core Memory

11 HOURS AGO
Core Memory

Core Memory

11 HOURS AGO

Shownote

Every couple of days, a new AI-meets-biotech startup sends me a pitch, and the pitches all sound the same. AI is amazing, and it can now tame biology. We’re on the cusp of producing new cures for diseases at a rapid rate, and these startups know just how to get the job done. To which you should wonder – is this at all true? On this week’s Core Memory episode, we have brought in the big brains to answer – or at least debate – this question. Our resident science whiz and medical professional Eryney Marrogi [https://eryney.com/] takes on the hosting duties to interview Abhishaike Mahajan, he of Owl Posting [https://www.owlposting.com/] and now OpenAI Foundation fame. These two men of science take hold of this AI/biotech moment to explore where we’re seeing the most promise from this new wave of technology and where the messiness of biology continues to confound AI. They also get into some lighter topics like our collective death from AI bioweapons and China’s impending biotech dominance. Good times. You’re all probably buzzing over Moderna’s stock price doubling and the end of cancer. So ride that enthusiasm right into this podcast and see how you’re feeling on the other side. If you can spare a minute, please do us a favor by filling out this ever so brief survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd75FbDP30IOzsoVgMtH4gi8avgkMF9VFHhj8n3OYkyAsF-JA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=105279131201085438034], so we can learn a bit more about our subscribers. Help us be better for you. Thanks!! OUR SPONSORS SendCutSend You know who else makes stuff for America? That would be SendCutSend. If you want to celebrate our great nation by building a metal part, then head on over to SendCutSend [https://sendcutsend.com/corememory/] where you’ll get a 15 percent discount [https://sendcutsend.com/corememory/] thanks to Core Memory on whatever you’re trying to build. We believe in you. Brex The Core Memory podcast is also sponsored by Brex [https://www.brex.com/?partnerId=corememory], the intelligent finance platform built to help companies spend smarter and move faster. Did we go to Texas, find a telescope ranch and then obtain an entire nebula in Brex’s honor? Oh yes, we did. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bN48vEqaQs8] We run on Brex and so should you. Learn more about Brex right here [http://brex.com/?refcode=corememory]. Timestamps (they link out to YouTube) 0:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Il7LF2u7Q] Intro4:24 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Il7LF2u7Q&t=264s] Is Intelligence the Bottleneck?6:58 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Il7LF2u7Q&t=418s] A Thousand von Neumanns12:29 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Il7LF2u7Q&t=749s] The Cancer Drug That Failed21:15 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Il7LF2u7Q&t=1275s] Can AI Read a Tumor?31:38 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Il7LF2u7Q&t=1898s] Is Text All You Need?44:39 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Il7LF2u7Q&t=2679s] The Machine Nobody Built54:16 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Il7LF2u7Q&t=3256s] A Trillion Dollar Organoid?1:02:26 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Il7LF2u7Q&t=3746s] Biosecurity Lost the Plot1:06:02 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Il7LF2u7Q&t=3962s] ChatGPT vs. a Virus1:19:13 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Il7LF2u7Q&t=4753s] Why the Terrorists Failed1:24:37 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Il7LF2u7Q&t=5077s] Who Gets to Order DNA?1:42:41 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Il7LF2u7Q&t=6161s] China Wins Biology1:53:41 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Il7LF2u7Q&t=6821s] The Lab Nobody Funds Thanks for listening! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.corememory.com/subscribe [https://www.corememory.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Highlights

This episode examines how far artificial intelligence can genuinely accelerate biological research, drug discovery, and the development of safer biological technologies.
03:37
Drug discovery needs both intelligence and experimentation
04:26
Clinical trials remain primarily a human coordination problem
09:49
Delivery remains biology’s biggest bottleneck
15:42
Promising biology does not guarantee human success
29:45
Narrow AI successes do not guarantee biological understanding
40:42
Better models depend on better measurements.
44:49
Biology needs new assays, not just more automation.
57:06
Biology needs testable steps, not just bigger models.
1:05:35
AI may not significantly boost novice biological capabilities
1:12:00
AI is not the main driver of bioterrorism
1:21:37
Technology advances faster than biological safeguards
1:39:27
Biosecurity needs balance, not paralysis
1:42:41
Biosecurity must balance prevention with rapid containment.
1:53:41
Biological expertise must be grounded in real-world practice

Chapters

Intro
00:00
Is Intelligence the Bottleneck?
04:24
A Thousand von Neumanns
06:58
The Cancer Drug That Failed
12:29
Can AI Read a Tumor?
21:15
Is Text All You Need?
31:38
The Machine Nobody Built
44:39
A Trillion Dollar Organoid?
54:16
Biosecurity Lost the Plot
1:02:26
ChatGPT vs. a Virus
1:06:02
Why the Terrorists Failed
1:19:13
Who Gets to Order DNA?
1:24:37
China Wins Biology
1:42:41
The Lab Nobody Funds
1:53:41

Transcript

Eryney Marrogi: All right, here we go with one of the most important questions of our age. Will all of this AI technology that is unfolding before us improve biology and biotech? Will we be healthier? Abhishaike Mahajan: Will we live longer? Eryney Marro...