IIT: new AI agent can perform lab experiments

The researchers discovered that models that aced science quizzes struggled with real laboratory situations requiring quick adaptation.

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi researchers, in collaboration with scientists from Denmark and Germany, have created an AI agent named artificially intelligent lab assistant (AILA). The agent can conduct scientific experiments like a human, the institute said on Tuesday.

IIT: new AI agent can perform lab experiments

AILA can autonomously operate an atomic force microscope (AFM), a highly sensitive instrument used in material research, set up parameters to run experiments and analyse results. The agent has helped reduce the time taken to optimise high-resolution AFM imaging from 24 hours to 7–10 minutes, said Indrajeet Mandal, first author of the work and a PhD scholar at the School of Interdisciplinary Research, IIT Delhi.

However, the journey revealed challenges. The researchers discovered that models that aced science quizzes struggled with real laboratory situations requiring quick adaptation. “It’s like the difference between knowing driving rules from a textbook and navigating busy city traffic,” said Mandal.

The work, published in Nature Communications, shows that AILA can design experiments, control complex lab equipment, collect data, and interpret findings without constant human intervention. “Previously, AI could only help you write about science. Now, it can actually do science,” said N M Anoop Krishnan of IIT Delhi’s Civil Engineering and Yardi School of AI.

Nitya Nand Gosvami from IIT Delhi Materials Science and Engineering department called it a “paradigm shift” in experimental science, noting that AFM operation usually requires years of training. The team also flagged safety concerns as AI agents can sometimes deviate from instructions, underscoring the need for robust safeguards in automated labs.