Artificial Intelligence, Scientific Discovery, and Product Innovation

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This paper studies the impact of artificial intelligence on innovation, exploiting the randomized introduction of a new materials discovery technology to 1,018 scientists in the R&D lab of a large U.S.

• firm.
• AI-assisted researchers discover 44% more materials, resulting in a 39% increase in patent filings and a 17% rise in downstream product innovation.
• These compounds possess more novel chemical structures and lead to more radical inventions.