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AI is already discovering new cures
As part of a wide-ranging conversation on the GZERO World podcast, oncologist and Pulitzer prize-winning author Siddhartha Mukherjee walks Ian Bremmer through one of the most groundbreaking uses of AI in medicine today: generative drug discovery. It’s not just about speeding up research—it’s about creating entirely new molecules that no human has ever seen.
Using AI, researchers can now analyze the shape of a dysfunctional protein—like one found in a cancer or autoimmune cell—and generate chemical compounds that could bind to and modify its behavior. “This is true generative chemistry,” Mukherjee says. “Every time we do this in collaboration with a machine, the machine learns it, and it learns it forever.”
The process is like solving a puzzle with a million possible pieces. With each failure, the AI learns more, narrowing down candidates until it finds a match. It’s already produced new antibiotics with never-before-seen structures—and Mukherjee believes this is just the beginning of a medical revolution.
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, the award-winning weekly global affairs series, airs nationwide on US public television stations (check local listings).
New digital episodes of GZERO World are released every Monday on YouTube. Don't miss an episode: subscribe to GZERO's YouTube channel and turn on notifications (🔔). GZERO World with Ian Bremmer airs on US public television weekly - check local listings.
How AI is transforming medicine, and the cancer fight
In 1971, President Nixon declared a “War on Cancer.” Fifty years and billions in research later, the disease still kills 1,700 Americans a day—and survival often depends on income, race, and access to care. But could artificial intelligence finally give humanity the upper hand?
On the latest episode of GZERO World, Ian Bremmer sits down with cancer researcher and bestselling author Siddhartha Mukherjee to explore how AI is changing the trajectory of modern medicine. From early detection and diagnostics to drug discovery and personalized treatment, Mukherjee believes we're entering a new era in the fight against cancer.
“The machine learns it, and it learns it forever,” Mukherjee says, describing how AI can now generate new chemical compounds that have never existed—potentially designing cancer drugs from scratch. “You don’t need to train a new generation of chemists. The machine will now learn it for eternity.”
Mukherjee explains how this generative power can unlock faster, cheaper breakthroughs across all stages of cancer treatment—from identifying new carcinogens like “forever chemicals” to tailoring therapies to a patient’s specific biology. For a disease that touches almost every family, these advances aren’t just technological—they’re deeply personal.
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, the award-winning weekly global affairs series, airs nationwide on US public television stations (check local listings).
New digital episodes of GZERO World are released every Monday on YouTube.Don't miss an episode: subscribe to GZERO's YouTube channel and turn on notifications (🔔). GZERO World with Ian Bremmer airs on US public television weekly - check local listings.