Position Paper: Unlocking the Potential of AI Researchers in Scientific Discovery-What Is Missing?

Understand

The potential of AI researchers in scientific discovery remains largely untapped.

• Over the past decade, AI for Science (AI4Science) publications in 145 Nature Index journals have increased fifteen-fold, yet they still account for less than 3% of the total publications.
• Drawing upon the Diffusion of Innovation theory, we project AI4Science's share of total publications to rise from 2.72% in 2024 to approximately 20% by 2050.
• Achieving this shift requires fully harnessing the potential of AI researchers, as nearly 95% of AI-driven research in these journals is led by experimental scientists.