India's AI Advancements in 7 Science Fields: Golden Age Yet to Come Investors and startups in India are focusing on the seven wonders of science: the brain, the mind, evolution, the quantum world, our planet, the universe, and life itself

India has a very long history of scientific innovations. It is continuously making groundbreaking advancements with Artificial Intelligence (AI) across various fields of science including Neuroscience, Psychology, Genetics, Bioinformatics and Quantum Physics.

"So in the next 20 years, we are going to see a lot of beautiful applications of AI emerging. Even in healthcare, for example, we will create a new kind of education system, completely different from what we have today. It will be a very, very personalized education system," said Dr. Shailesh Kumar, Chief Data Scientist, Reliance Jio.

Investors and startups in India are focusing on the seven wonders of science: the brain, the mind, evolution, the quantum world, our planet, the universe, and life itself.

Neuroscience and AI

A fascinating integration of AI in neuroscience is giving rise to NeuroAI. AI is a promising tool for understanding brain functions. Also, it plays a major part in solving neurodegenerative diseases, enhancing diagnostic accuracy, clinical decision-making, identifying hidden patterns in large neuroimaging datasets, better disease treatment and reducing health inequalities with other solutions.

Indian startups such as Neucures, BrainSightAI, Health Safe Today, and Heva AI are revolutionizing the industry already and are revolutionizing the industry with modern solutions.

AI can help scientists to have a better understanding and fast clinical solutions for large and often occurring brain diseases such as loss of muscle control, memory loss, emotional blunting, disorientation, social withdrawal, delusions, hallucinations, depression, and experiencing unwanted thoughts and feelings.

AI Therapist

Mental health care is crucial, but access remains a challenge in many parts of India despite significant advancements. AI-powered telemedicine platforms have the potential to change this by reaching remote areas and serving larger populations.

With AI in psychological treatments, mental health professionals can efficiently record data, trigger automatic follow-ups, and offer personalized therapy and expertise. AI can also create virtual environments using Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), allowing patients to safely confront trauma, anxieties, and phobias. Wysa-Everyday Mental Health is an AI-driven mental health chatbot that is revolutionizing mental health care by making it more accessible and personalized. They are supported by investors like pi Ventures and Google Launchpad.

AI Integration in Bioinformatics

In the movie "Gattaca," Vincent's dialogue, "There is no gene for fate," emphasizes that while our genes influence our health, they do not completely determine our future. This concept is crucial in personalized medicine, which leverages genetic information to enhance treatment solutions.

AI has the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. In a genetically diverse country like India, AI can pinpoint genetic variations associated with specific diseases, enabling the development of more tailored and effective treatment plans for patients.

MedGenome is at the forefront of this genetic research. With support from investors like Sequoia India and Sofina, MedGenome is advancing precision medicine, which creates personalized treatments based on a person's genetic information. For example, if a patient has a unique genetic mutation, they might receive a special drug regimen tailored to their specific condition, reducing side effects and improving the effectiveness of the treatment.

Quantum AI

Indian institutions like the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and the Indian Institute of Science are leading the way in developing quantum simulators and quantum communication technologies.

Startups like QNu Labs are making a mark in quantum cybersecurity. Supported by investments from Reliance Jio and YourNest Venture Capital, QNu Labs focuses on creating encryption methods that are secure against quantum threats, ensuring data remains protected as traditional methods become less reliable.

AI has come a long way, but it still faces limitations. Quantum computing offers unique features that can help overcome these hurdles. It could enable robots to understand human emotions, predict needs, and make decisions more like humans, potentially achieving Artificial General Intelligence.

Additionally, quantum computing can speed up the training of machine learning models, create better algorithms, and optimize supply chains, transportation routes, and financial portfolios. Quantum AI is seen as a key technology for advancing next-generative AI.

AI in Climatology

Accurate weather forecasting is essential especially now in unpredictable climate change situations where the world is experiencing sudden changes. India is making significant progress in understanding and predicting weather patterns, thanks to advancements in AI and satellite data.

The Indian Meteorological Department has integrated AI into its weather prediction models, greatly improving accuracy, and producing results fast with less energy. This integration is crucial for agriculture, disaster management, and everyday life, helping people prepare for and respond to weather changes more effectively. SkyMet Weather Services, backed by investors like Omnivore and the InsuResilience Investment Fund, is utilizing AI to enhance weather forecasting.

AI in Space

India's space exploration journey has seen remarkable milestones with missions like Chandrayaan-2 and the upcoming Gaganyaan mission. AI integration in space exploration changes the game altogether. Algorithms can sift through terabytes of cosmic data from telescopes, identifying subtle signals that human analysts might miss. This capability enhances our understanding of phenomena like dark matter and energy, which constitute most of the universe but remain largely mysterious. The Interstellar movie is the best example to understand the difficulties humans face and make a lot of mistakes while exploring space.

Space startups like Pixxel are revolutionizing how we observe and analyze our planet. Supported by investors such as Techstars and Omnivore. The company focuses on satellite imaging, launching high-resolution earth-imaging satellites. These satellites provide detailed imagery that can be used for various applications, from agriculture to environmental monitoring.

AI in Biology and Botany

AI is transforming biological research, speeding up drug discovery and reducing costs. AI can quickly identify potential drugs for diseases like cancer or Alzheimer's, leading to faster, personalized treatments.

In agriculture, AI monitors crop health and predicts pest outbreaks, offering real-time data and analytics. Startups like String Bio, supported by Ankur Capital and Blue Ashva Capital, convert waste into valuable products. Niqo Robotics provides advanced agricultural solutions.

"I think the glory days, the golden days of AI, are yet to come," added Dr. Kumar, at a webinar on "Demystifying AI".