Google plans to release new ‘open’ AI models for drug discovery

During a health-focused event in New York on Tuesday, Google announced that it’s developing a collection of “open” AI models for drug discovery called TxGemma. The AI models, which Google said will be released through its Health AI Developer Foundations program later this month, can understand both “regular text” and the structures of different “therapeutic entities,” including chemicals, molecules, and proteins, according to the company. “The development of therapeutic drugs from concept to approved use is a long and expensive process, so we’re working with the wider research community to find new ways to make this development more efficient,” Karen DeSalvo, chief health officer at Google, wrote in a blog post provided to TechCrunch. “[R]esearchers can ask TxGemma questions to help predict important properties of potential new therapies, like how safe or effective they might be.” Google didn’t say whether the models’ license will allow for commercial use, customization, or fine-tun ... Read full article.