Google has announced the development of TxGemma, a collection of "open" AI models designed to accelerate drug discovery. The models, set to be released through Google's Health AI Developer Foundations program later this month, can understand both regular text and the structures of different therapeutic entities, including chemicals, molecules, and proteins.

The goal of TxGemma is to make the development of therapeutic drugs more efficient, according to Karen DeSalvo, chief health officer at Google. The AI models will allow researchers to ask questions and predict important properties of potential new therapies, such as their safety and effectiveness. This could potentially revolutionize the earliest R&D steps in drug discovery, which are often long and expensive.

While Google has not specified whether the models' license will allow for commercial use, customization, or fine-tuning, the move is seen as a significant step towards collaboration with the wider research community. This comes at a time when AI has been touted as a potential game-changer in drug discovery, with many companies, including Google spin-out Isomorphic Labs, promising to accelerate the process.

However, the reality is that AI has not yet provided an immediate magical solution in the lab. Several firms employing AI for drug discovery, including Exscientia and BenevolentAI, have suffered high-profile clinical trial failures in recent years. Moreover, the accuracy of leading AI systems for drug discovery, like Google DeepMind's AlphaFold 3, tends to vary widely.

Despite these challenges, big pharma and investors remain enthusiastic about the tech's potential. Isomorphic Labs, which has partnerships with pharma giants Eli Lilly and Novartis, expects testing on its AI-designed drugs to begin this year. According to estimates, over 460 AI startups are working on drug discovery, and investors have poured $60 billion into the space so far.

The development of TxGemma highlights Google's commitment to using AI to improve healthcare outcomes. By making the models open and accessible, Google is hoping to foster collaboration and drive innovation in the field. As the drug discovery landscape continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how TxGemma and other AI-powered solutions contribute to the development of new and effective treatments.

As the tech industry continues to invest heavily in AI-powered drug discovery, the stakes are high. With TxGemma, Google is taking a significant step towards realizing the potential of AI in this space. Whether the models will ultimately lead to breakthroughs in drug discovery remains to be seen, but one thing is clear – the future of healthcare is increasingly intertwined with the development of AI.