Chipmaker Nvidia has announced a $50 million investment in biotech firm Recursion Pharmaceuticals. aiming to expedite the training of Recursion’s artificial intelligence (AI) models for drug discovery. Recursion plans to utilize its vast biological and chemical datasets, which amount to over 23,000 terabytes, to train its AI models on Nvidia’s cloud platform. Chris Gibson, Recursion’s CEO, revealed in an interview on CNBC’s “Closing Bell Overtime” that the company’s datasets expand by hundreds of terabytes every week. AI models require large volumes of data, often measured in terabytes, for effective training.
Nvidia and Recursion Reinvent Drug Discovery Landscape Through AI
Upon completion of their training, Nvidia will have the capacity to license AI models to other biotech companies via BioNeMo, a groundbreaking AI cloud service for drug discovery, which was launched earlier this year. This strategic move enables Recursion to enhance its internal drug pipeline and those of its current and prospective partners, such as multinational pharmaceutical conglomerates Bayer and Roche .
Intensification of Recursion’s Commitment to AI
Nvidia’s significant investment in Recursion coincides with the latter’s concentrated efforts towards AI. Recursion acquired two AI-based drug discovery enterprises for $87.5 million in May. This move emphasizes Recursion’s commitment to harnessing technology, automation, and state-of-the-art tools in biology and chemistry to expedite the drug discovery process in the upcoming years.
AI’s Increasing Dominance in the Pharmaceutical Sector
The considerable investment by Nvidia in Recursion serves as an affirmation of AI’s burgeoning influence in the pharmaceutical industry. Companies such as Moderna and Google have acknowledged the power of AI in delivering life-saving treatments to the public with greater speed. Nvidia, famed for its AI-supporting chips, remains a pivotal figure in the AI uprising, reaching a landmark trillion-dollar market value for the first time in June.
Implications and Looking Ahead
Recursion’s ongoing AI advancements coupled with Nvidia’s investment position the Salt Lake City, Utah-based company favorably for future growth. CEO Gibson expressed his optimism for showcasing multiple positive catalysts in the upcoming years, building on the successes achieved in the past few years.
In the wake of this announcement, shares of other AI-centered drugmakers saw a surge. Both Exscientia and AbCellera Biologics observed a rise in their share value by 12% and 13% respectively.
The partnership between Nvidia and Recursion underscores the transformative power of AI in the pharmaceutical sector and potentially signals the beginning of a new chapter in drug discovery. The alliance is poised to redefine drug discovery methodologies, driving efficiency, and speed through the power of artificial intelligence.
