CORDIS results pack on AI in science

EU-funded researchers are using AI to make fresh discoveries, create new inventions and ensure Europe remains a global leader in science and technology, while benefitting the whole of society. The way we live and work is being transformed by artificial intelligence (AI), and scientific research is no exception. These tools can now automate tasks, analyse data, and generate insights in ways that were not previously possible. With the help of AI, researchers can now make faster progress, achieve breakthroughs more quickly and improve the quality of their work. AI works as a catalyst for scientific progress by enabling greater efficiency and extending the limits of scientific knowledge. It is particularly well suited to the process of scientific discovery and innovation and is becoming an indispensable tool for research that involves assessing large-scale scientific data sets and the generation of predictions. Automating tasks like data collection and analysis also frees researchers to focus on more creative and strategic activities. Moreover, AI is a driver of Innovation in all sectors of the economy. It is expected to lead to a major boost in productivity and economic gains. AI can improve healthcare, reduce energy consumption, make cars safer, enable farmers to use water and natural resources more efficiently, and reduce the use of pesticides drastically. Given the importance of AI, the European Commission has proposed a set of actions to boost excellence in AI, and rules to ensure that the technology is trustworthy. This results pack presents 15 ongoing, or recently completed EU-funded projects that highlight various applications of AI in science. It underlines how its responsible application and the use of techniques like machine learning can help science deliver innovation and address problems that would otherwise be too difficult and time consuming to solve. The projects go beyond the scientific domains typically associated with AI - engineering, medicine and computer science - to explore how it can aid scientists in the preservation of cultural heritage, in digital curation of historic documentation, in improving language-learning, in predicting natural disasters or addressing environmental challenges.