Periodic Labs Launches with Ambitious Goals and Significant Funding
Periodic Labs emerged from stealth mode on Tuesday, announcing a remarkable $300 million seed round, attracting investment from renowned names in the tech industry, including Andreessen Horowitz, DST, Nvidia, Accel, Elad Gil, Jeff Dean, Eric Schmidt, and Jeff Bezos.
Founders with Exceptional Backgrounds
Founded by Ekin Dogus Cubuk and Liam Fedus, Periodic Labs is powered by a team with impressive credentials. Cubuk previously led the materials and chemistry team at Google Brain and DeepMind, where he developed GNoME—an AI tool credited with discovering over 2 million new crystal structures in 2023. These discoveries hold the potential to revolutionize future technological applications.
Meanwhile, Fedus served as VP of Research at OpenAI and was instrumental in developing ChatGPT. His leadership also contributed to the creation of the first trillion-parameter neural network, solidifying his expertise in advancing AI technology.
A Robust Team of Researchers
The value of Periodic Labs lies not only in its founders but also in its small, yet highly skilled team of researchers. Many team members have contributed to significant AI and materials science projects, including OpenAI’s agent Operator and Microsoft’s MatterGen, a language model designed for materials science discoveries.
Automating Scientific Discovery
Periodic Labs aims to automate scientific discovery by developing AI scientists capable of conducting physical experiments autonomously. These AI-driven laboratories are designed to perform tasks such as collecting data, iterating on experiments, and learning from results, all with the goal of scientific advancement.
The startup’s initial focus is to innovate new superconductors believed to outperform current materials while potentially requiring less energy. However, the vision expands beyond superconductors, aiming at discovering various new materials that could transform technologies across industries.
Data Collection as a Core Objective
A critical aspect of Periodic Labs’ mission is the collection of extensive physical world data generated during experiments. By manipulating various elements and raw materials, the AI scientists will not only seek novel discoveries but will also produce invaluable datasets for future research.
Challenging the Status Quo of AI in Science
The company asserts that traditional advancements in scientific AI have largely stemmed from models trained on internet data, a resource that is becoming less viable. Through their innovative approach, Periodic Labs aims to establish a new standard for generating fresh, actionable data directly from scientific experimentation.
The expectation is that these advanced labs will not only create next-generation materials but will also enrich the data pool that AI models rely on, fostering ongoing evolution within the field.
A Growing Sector of AI in Science
While Periodic Labs boasts a remarkable assemblage of researchers, it is not alone in its pursuit of automating scientific discovery. Similar efforts are unfolding within academic institutions and startups, such as Tetsuwan Scientific and the University of Toronto’s Acceleration Consortium. This indicates a growing interest in leveraging AI for breakthroughs in materials science.
Periodic Labs’ launch represents a significant development in both the tech and scientific communities, as it heralds a new era where AI plays a central role in research and innovation.
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