Artificial intelligence stands at the threshold of a revolutionary development that until recently seemed like science fiction. The ability of artificial intelligence to create and improve itself is no longer a theoretical possibility but an emerging reality taking shape in research laboratories.

The idea behind this development is remarkably simple in its conception: since artificial intelligence has proven its ability to automate increasingly more human tasks, the next logical step is for it to take over research for its own development. This challenge lies at the heart of pioneering research by Sakana AI, a Japanese company that has developed a system called “AI Scientist.“

This system represents a significant leap in the evolution of artificial intelligence. It is a comprehensive system capable of conducting scientific research autonomously, from initial literature review to writing final conclusions. The system studies existing scientific literature, formulates new research hypotheses, designs and conducts experiments, and ultimately compiles scientific papers presenting its findings.

The results are impressive: the system has already produced dozens of research papers in various fields of artificial intelligence. Some of these works have been deemed of sufficient quality to be accepted at leading scientific conferences in the field, such as NeurIPS. This is particularly noteworthy, as the system is still in its early stages of development.

Just the beginning

What makes this development even more exciting is the enormous potential for improvement. The current system operates with relatively limited computational resources – specifically, it uses only eight Nvidia H100 graphics cards for one week. Increasing computational power, combined with continuous improvement of artificial intelligence models, could lead to dramatic enhancement of the system’s capabilities.

Concerns

However, this development brings significant concerns. The speed at which technology is evolving raises questions about the safe development of such systems. Anthropic, one of the leading companies in artificial intelligence, has already updated its risk management framework, placing particular emphasis on risks associated with AI systems capable of autonomously conducting complex research work.

The implications of this technological evolution for society are expected to be profound. The ability of artificial intelligence to improve itself could lead to unprecedented acceleration of technological progress. This could lead to revolutionary discoveries in fields such as medicine, climate change, and space exploration. However, such rapid development could also create new challenges for humanity.

We are undoubtedly at the beginning of a new era, where artificial intelligence is not merely a tool in researchers’ hands but an active participant in the process of scientific discovery. The challenge we face is ensuring that this powerful technology develops in a way that benefits humanity as a whole.

As we move into this exciting future, it’s important to maintain a balance between innovation and caution. Technological progress is inevitable and desirable but must be accompanied by careful thought and responsible action. As the title suggests, we should fasten our seatbelts – the journey to the future promises to be exciting but full of challenges.