On Monday, Anthropic introduced its AI for Science programme, designed to boost the pace of scientific research and discovery. The AI company expressed its commitment to assisting researchers engaged in “high-impact scientific projects,” particularly in the fields of biology and life sciences. Selected projects within this programme will receive support from Anthropic in the form of free application programming interface (API) credits. This announcement comes just a month after the company unveiled its new agentic feature, Research, in its AI model, Claude.
Details of the AI for Science Programme
In a statement shared on its newsroom website, Anthropic noted that the programme is backed by the Anthropic public benefit corporation (PBC). The firm emphasized the potential of generative AI technologies to aid scientists and researchers in various tasks, including the analysis of intricate scientific data, hypothesis generation, experiment design and simulation, and the synthesis of results to uncover actionable insights.
Researchers affiliated with recognized research institutions are invited to apply for the programme. Anthropic has provided a comprehensive application form that must be completed and submitted for consideration. Upon submission, applications will go through a review process conducted by Anthropic’s team and subject matter experts in relevant disciplines. Every first Monday of the month, the company will announce selected applicants from the pool of submissions.
Shortlisted researchers for the AI for Science programme will receive considerable API credits for Anthropic’s AI models, potentially amounting to $20,000 (approximately Rs. 16,91,400) in support, according to the official guidelines of the initiative. The evaluation criteria include the researcher’s contributions to scientific knowledge, the projected impact of their proposed research, and the ability of AI to significantly enhance the research process.
Furthermore, each application will undergo a biosecurity assessment to ensure that the proposed research projects do not pose risks related to harmful applications of the technology.
Anthropic stated that this programme aligns with its mission to leverage AI for the benefit of humanity. The company is particularly interested in research initiatives focused on deciphering complex biological systems, analyzing genetic data, expediting drug discovery processes, and enhancing agricultural productivity, among other areas of interest.
