Technology and Science · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
Anthropic Sets Up Wet Lab In San Francisco Bay Area For AI Life Sciences Work
Anthropic established a wet lab in the Bay Area for biology experiments. It blends in-house facilities with external partners to run biological research.
Whether the wet lab is drug-development focused.
9 of 11 outlets skipped it: anthropic explored Claude directing robots with minimal human intervention.
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Engadget
“a spokesperson told Reuters that the lab wasn't created specifically, or perhaps only, for drug discovery.”Read the original ↗
Gizmodo
“(Seems fine. The plan appears to be pitched toward possible drug development.”Read the original ↗
Gizmodo pitches the wet lab as drug development, while Engadget emphasises Anthropic said it was not created for drug discovery.
Wet lab confirmed
Anthropic has quietly set up a wet lab for physical biology work in the San Francisco Bay Area as it pushes its artificial-intelligence ambitions into pharmaceutical research, Reuters reported with two people familiar with the matter.
“We absolutely are doing that today, and I would describe our approach as being typical of what you would see in most biotech companies”
In a Reuters interview, Eric Kauderer-Abrams, Anthropic’s head of life sciences, confirmed the lab and said, "We absolutely are doing that today, and I would describe our approach as being typical of what you would see in most biotech companies".
A spokesperson later clarified that the facility is not for drug discovery specifically, declining to elaborate, while Anthropic said it wants to unlock treatments for rare diseases and that its biology work has gone beyond “in silico” or computer evaluations.
Kauderer-Abrams also framed the wet lab as the “final test” for biology, telling Reuters, "We believe that to do biology, the final test is still and will be for a while in real lab work".
Automation and oversight
Reuters said Anthropic wants to push Claude’s ability to direct robotic units to carry out science experiments with limited human intervention, while the company also stressed that human oversight and involvement are essential for safety.
Kauderer-Abrams told Reuters, "We are in a very early phase of using AI to automate the execution of laboratory work," and said the effort could accelerate many processes.
A spokesperson later clarified that the lab is not specifically intended for drug discovery, and Reuters reported that Anthropic has not yet run any clinical trial.
The wet lab move comes as Anthropic faces public fears about AI, including warnings from its researchers in the past two weeks that AI could lead to human extinction and Anthropic’s statement that it found examples where its systems could have been used toward biological weapons development.
Drug program ambitions
Anthropic’s wet lab is part of a broader push into life sciences that Reuters tied to its intention to start running drug programs, which Kauderer-Abrams previewed at a San Francisco event in June.
“In our life sciences work, we are always seeking a balance between these issues”
Reuters said Anthropic launched Claude Science, added Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan to its board, and bought the startup Coefficient Bio for about $400 million in stock, while confirming the acquisition without commenting on the deal price.
In its life-science work, Kauderer-Abrams told Reuters, "In our life-science work, we’re always balancing these things," describing efforts to improve models while being “thoughtful and careful” about deployment to limit risk.
The company also said it is preparing to go public in a potentially $2 trillion IPO to raise more money for AI development, as it seeks to translate physical biology experiments into treatments for diseases the pharmaceutical industry is neglecting.