We discussed the role that Artificial Intelligence is playing on longevity in a past column, but it has advanced so much and in such a short period of time, that we decided to revisit the topic.
AI has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years and is being used in myriad applications, and this is especially true when it comes to a medical context. In general, AI has allowed for earlier disease detection, has helped with developing personalized courses of treatment and can be used to create customized wellness plans based on individual data, such as genetics and lifestyle. It can also help to speed up drug discovery as well as improve diagnostics, facilitating earlier detection of an endless number of illnesses and diseases. Ultimately, AI can track our health in real time and predict and prevent age-related decline, all of which could lead to us enjoying longer, healthier lives.
In April, Forbes published an article discussing how AI is rewriting the future of aging and it explained that, because science takes time, researchers must wait years, or even decades, for results. However, AI is revolutionizing that. Artificial Intelligence has allowed for a new technology called “digital twins,” which are virtual models of individuals built from real-world data. These models can be used to simulate biological aging and, thereby, predict the effects of certain interventions. These “virtual clinical trials” allow scientists to explore vast treatment outcomes without the time and cost of traditional experiments.
The development of biomarkers (which are biological indicators that signal how we are aging) created by Artificial Intelligence has also helped to accelerate longevity research. AI models are being built to identify subtle changes in our physiology which correlate with age; these “aging clocks” can then be used to predict how long a person might live in good health.
Finally, the Forbes article explored how AI is also transforming the way in which we discover and develop new medications. Traditionally, discovering a new drug involves screening thousands of compounds to see which ones affect a disease, and the process is extremely laborious and drawn out. But Artificial Intelligence can design new molecules from scratch. It can weed through and analyze the vast world of chemicals much more quickly and efficiently than humans ever could, and AI can actually start suggesting entirely brand-new compounds that can alter key biological pathways which lead to such things as cancer, neurological disorders and more. This all means introducing treatments faster and more efficiently.
Artificial Intelligence takes from the old and creates something new. It has the capability to learn from the existing data that we have on longevity, and pinpoint certain properties and interactions which help to not only add years to our lives, but quality years in which we are generally in good health. AI can find correlations between the human body and the external environmental factors that have been shown to play a key role in aging. The National Library of Medicine pointed out that, as the field of computational systems biology keeps improving and new biomarkers of aging are being developed, Artificial Intelligence promises to become a major ally of aging research.
We’re already using AI to benefit our health. It’s being used for personalized treatment plans and more accurate medical diagnoses. It’s even a tool to help manage chronic diseases. Artificial Intelligence also assists overall public health by tracking disease outbreaks, and it can provide useful information and support through chatbots. So, the next time you find yourself scoffing at technology, consider its advantages in the realm of aging. We may not have flying cars yet but, if we keep adding years to our lifespans, we’ll be alive long enough to drive them!