Anthropic has introduced a new initiative to support scientists using AI to advance life sciences. The program, called AI for Science, offers selected researchers up to $20,000 in API credits over six months. The company announced the program on Monday, emphasizing its goal to help accelerate breakthroughs in biology and related fields.
Researchers will gain access to Anthropic’s full suite of public AI models, including the Claude family. Selections will be based on scientific merit, project impact, and how well AI can enhance the research process.
In a blog post, Anthropic said that AI’s reasoning and language skills can assist in analyzing scientific data, generating hypotheses, designing experiments, and communicating results more effectively. The company is particularly interested in projects focused on:
- Understanding complex biological systems
- Genetic data analysis
- Accelerating drug discovery
- Improving global health outcomes
- Enhancing agricultural productivity
Anthropic joins several other AI firms betting on science as a key application for large models. Google recently introduced its own “AI co-scientist” to help form hypotheses and design experiments. OpenAI, FutureHouse, and Lila Sciences are also exploring similar scientific use cases.
Still, not everyone in the research community is convinced. Many scientists remain skeptical about AI’s current ability to meaningfully guide the scientific process. The main concerns are reliability and the inability of AI to handle unforeseen variables common in research.
For example, in 2023, Google announced that its AI helped synthesize 40 new materials through its GNoME project. However, an external review found none of those materials were genuinely novel, raising doubts about the tool’s effectiveness.
Despite past challenges, Anthropic is optimistic that its AI can help researchers achieve better results. Applications for the AI for Science program are reviewed monthly—on the first Monday of each month. The review process considers impact, feasibility, scientific merit, and biosecurity. Submissions are evaluated by Anthropic staff and field experts to ensure proposals are safe and valuable.
Interested researchers can apply directly through a form on Anthropic’s official website.
