Welcome to this week’s AI Trailblazers Newsletter and thank you for making us your go-to source for relevant AI business news.

While inflation is simmering, AI applications are skyrocketing. From advancing modern medicine with repurposing current remedies to resurfacing past civilizations, AI is making an impact everywhere. Discover more below.

Mark your calendars: the AI Trailblazers Growth Summit is happening on October 30th in New York. Purchase your tickets now at the early bird rate, and stay tuned for agenda details. In the meantime, check out highlights from our last summit, and email us if you're interested in partnering.

Harvard’s AI Hunts for New Uses in Old Medicines

Medical Xpress reports that Harvard Medical School researchers have developed an innovative AI model, TxGNN, designed to revolutionize drug discovery for rare and untreated diseases. By repurposing existing medicines, the tool identifies potential treatments for over 17,000 conditions, many of which currently lack viable therapies. This breakthrough offers a faster, cost-effective way to address global health disparities and improve patient outcomes by harnessing AI's ability to uncover new uses for approved drugs.

• AI Model TxGNN Targets Rare Diseases: Harvard Medical School researchers have developed TxGNN, an AI tool designed to identify drug candidates for rare and untreated diseases. The model successfully found potential treatments for over 17,000 diseases using existing FDA-approved and experimental medicines. This tool could help bridge treatment gaps for conditions that currently lack therapies.

• Unprecedented Drug Discovery Potential: TxGNN identified nearly 8,000 existing drugs that could be repurposed to treat diseases with no existing treatments. The model’s ability to predict drug side effects and contraindications is a major advantage over traditional trial-and-error methods. It performed nearly 50% better than leading AI models in drug identification, and 35% more accurately predicted contraindications.

• Strategic Repurposing Over Serendipity: Drug repurposing typically relies on unexpected beneficial side effects or off-label use by physicians. TxGNN offers a strategic, data-driven approach, identifying shared disease mechanisms to suggest drugs for poorly understood conditions. This method saves time and resources compared to developing new drugs from scratch.

• AI Reasoning Mimics Clinician Insights: The AI model mimics human reasoning by leveraging vast datasets to extrapolate treatments for rare diseases from well-known conditions. Tested on patient data and rare conditions, TxGNN’s recommendations aligned with current medical knowledge, providing transparency through its explainable decision-making process. This tool promises to accelerate drug repurposing for a wide range of diseases.

AI Trailblazer Takeaways: People with rare diseases have a glimmer of hope with TxGNN. This AI model just repurposes what currently exists to help those in need. By accelerating learning and linking issues and treatments, AI could accelerate modern medicine faster than ever.

How AI is Revolutionizing Archaeological Exploration

CNN explores how Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the field of archaeology, particularly in challenging desert landscapes where traditional methods often fall short. Researchers at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi have combined machine learning with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery to uncover hidden archaeological sites beneath the sands of the Arabian Peninsula. This cutting-edge approach is transforming the search for ancient structures, offering unprecedented precision and potential for discoveries in previously unexplored areas. However, the growing use of AI in archaeology has sparked debate about the balance between technology and human expertise.

• Researchers at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi developed an AI algorithm that uses synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery to find hidden archaeological sites beneath desert sands. This method addresses challenges in desert archaeology, where traditional ground surveys are time-consuming and satellite images are obscured by sand and dust storms. The AI model was trained using data from the ancient site Saruq Al-Hadid, accurately identifying unexplored nearby areas.

• SAR imagery and machine learning, although not new individually, are being combined for the first time in archaeology. The AI algorithm can detect objects beneath sand with precision down to 50 centimeters and create 3D models of buried structures. This technology was validated by ground surveys conducted with Dubai Culture, confirming the AI's predictions.

• SAR imagery is rarely used in archaeology due to its cost and complexity, but it has proven effective in desert regions. AI models have also been applied in other large, remote areas, such as Mongolia, to detect burial sites. However, the high cost and computational demands of SAR could limit its wider adoption by smaller research teams.

• While AI is revolutionizing archaeological discoveries, opinions among experts are divided. Some researchers believe technology can speed up the search for buried sites, but others caution against over-reliance on machines, stressing the need for human expertise in interpreting findings. The AI's real test will come when new excavations begin at Saruq Al-Hadid to verify its predictions.

AI Trailblazer Takeaways: AI will help us explore and learn more about our past at a quicker pace than we have seen before. This application is yet another example of how the technology aids humanity and transforming the way we work, research and learn.

AI Breathes Life Into NPCs: The Future of Immersive Gaming

As artificial intelligence (AI) technology advances, video game developers are exploring new ways to make games more immersive by enhancing non-player characters (NPCs) with generative AI. As Sarah Parvini of the Associated Press reports, this approach allows NPCs to engage in dynamic, unscripted interactions, making game worlds feel more alive and responsive to player choices. By integrating AI into character dialogue, behaviors, and game mechanics, studios are pushing the boundaries of interactive storytelling. However, developers remain mindful of ethical concerns, balancing the potential of AI with the need for meaningful, player-driven experiences.

• Game studios are experimenting with AI to enhance non-player characters (NPCs) and create more interactive gaming experiences. In games like “Retail Mage,” AI-driven NPCs allow players to engage in dynamic, unscripted interactions, adding flexibility to gameplay. These AI systems create a more immersive world where players can use objects and converse with NPCs in unique ways.

• AI technology is transforming the gaming experience by enabling more complex and spontaneous interactions. Studios like Jam & Tea are leveraging generative AI to give NPCs more lifelike behaviors and dialogue that reacts to player choices. This offers players opportunities to explore off-script possibilities, creating personalized, engaging stories within the game.

• Several AI companies are providing tools to power these advancements, including Nvidia's ACE for "digital humans" and Ubisoft's Ghostwriter, which aids in NPC dialogue writing. AI enables faster, more responsive gameplay and more meaningful NPC interactions that enhance the realism of the game world. Developers are using this technology to give NPCs more agency and the ability to respond naturally to players and other characters.

• Despite AI's potential, game developers remain cautious about ethical concerns and over-reliance on technology. While AI can improve game design by providing endless dialogue options, creators emphasize the importance of meaning and context in these interactions. AI companies aim to support developers in crafting immersive experiences without replacing the creative process.

AI Trailblazer Takeaways: Gaming gets real. Integrating AI into NPCs will make games more engaging and entertaining.

Magnificent 7 Links

Microsoft CEO: Ignore 'conventional wisdom' about AI—it can already help you be more productive at work (CNBC)

AI for all: Meta’s ‘Llama Stack’ promises to simplify enterprise adoption (VentureBeat)

Meta debuts augmented reality glasses and Judi Dench-voiced AI chatbot (the Guardian)

Nvidia stock edges up as industry report predicts 'unprecedented levels' of investment in AI data centers (Yahoo Finance)

Other Links of the Week

AI-powered robots begin manufacturing cars in bid to raise automation efficiency - ET CIO (ETCIO.com)

Artificial intelligence model helps produce clean water (Techxplore.com)

AI model identifies existing drugs that can be repurposed for treatment of rare diseases (Medicalxpress.com)

Can AI make video games more immersive? Some studios turn to AI-fueled NPCs for more interaction (AP News)

Biden warns of 'profound risks' posed by AI (NBC News)

98% of small firms are using AI tools to 'punch above their weight' (ZDNET)

Terminator creator James Cameron joins board of AI company (bbc.com)

Artificial intelligence is detecting new archaeological sites in the desert | CNN (CNN)

FTC announces crackdown on 'deceptive AI' businesses (NBC News)

OpenAI CTO Mira Murati departs, and two top research execs follow (CNBC)

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