At the end of 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, the progress of biotechnologies and artificial intelligence allowed the development of vaccines in less than a year, thus saving millions of human lives and preserving the global economy. The emergence of intelligent drugs is highlighted, with the promise of ultra-targeted, more effective, and safer treatments against a wide range of diseases. Personalized medicine then becomes realistic, with computer-designed drugs, perfectly adapted to each individual, tested on virtual patients before their real use. In the near future, thanks to AI, new drugs will improve physical performance, stimulate cognitive abilities, prevent diseases, and slow down aging.

A fascinating essay to understand the issues and challenges of this medical revolution from which we should all benefit!

Philippe Moingeon is an immunologist, former researcher, and Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School (Boston, USA), Professor in AI and Health at Paris-Saclay University. He is a member of the French Academy of Pharmacy and an expert with the European Federation of Academies of Medicine on the deployment of AI in health.