Largest-ever antibiotic discovery effort uses AI to uncover potential cures in microbial dark matter

Scientists used an algorithm to mine ‘the entirety of the microbial diversity’ on Earth, speeding up antibiotic resistance research

Almost a century ago, the discovery of antibiotics like penicillin revolutionized medicine by harnessing the natural bacteria-killing abilities of microbes. A study suggests that natural-product antibiotic discovery is about to accelerate into a new era, powered by artificial intelligence (AI).