Liam Fedus, OpenAI’s Vice President of Research for post-training, is leaving the company to launch a new startup focused on materials science. His goal? To use AI to speed up the discovery of new materials. Fedus confirmed his departure on X (formerly Twitter) after The Information first reported it.
AI and Materials Science
Fedus has a background in physics, and that’s why this new venture excites him. “My undergrad was in physics, and I’m keen to apply this technology there,” he shared.
Materials science is crucial to many industries. It influences everything from electronics to clean energy. However, discovering new materials takes time. AI can help by analyzing data and predicting new material properties faster than regular methods.
OpenAI’s Continued Involvement
Despite leaving OpenAI, Fedus is not cutting ties. OpenAI will invest in and partner with his startup. “AI for science is one of the most strategically important areas to OpenAI and achieving [artificial superintelligence],” he explained. Clearly, OpenAI sees AI’s potential beyond chatbots and language models.
Entering a Competitive Field
Fedus’ startup is stepping into a growing market and the competition is tough. However, Fedus’ strong background and OpenAI’s support could give his startup an edge. Other tech giants are already working on AI for materials science:
- Google DeepMind’s Gnome AI: In 2023, DeepMind announced that its AI discovered novel crystals for new materials.
- Microsoft’s MatterGen and MatterSim: Microsoft recently launched AI tools to help scientists discover new materials faster.
Can AI Really Make Scientific Breakthroughs?
AI is powerful, but some experts are skeptical. They argue that today’s AI mostly works with existing data. Because of that, it might struggle to create truly new discoveries without human input.
Still, others believe AI will speed up research. Instead of replacing scientists, AI can assist them. It can analyze massive datasets and suggest material combinations that humans might overlook. This could lead to faster innovation and new breakthroughs.
