AI Tools Help Predict Virus Evolution

The COVID-19 pandemic showed how unprepared we were for fast-spreading diseases. Even after COVID-19, other viruses or new mutations could still threaten public health.

Viruses evolve quickly, making it hard to predict their changes. But predicting these changes can help scientists create vaccines and treatments faster.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is now helping scientists in this fight. While AI can’t yet predict how completely new viruses might emerge, it’s already being used to forecast mutations in existing viruses like SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) and the flu.

RNA viruses, like SARS-CoV-2, mutate frequently. These changes can sometimes help them spread faster or avoid immune defenses. Tools like AlphaFold by DeepMind and ESMFold by Meta use AI to predict how viral proteins might change in the future.

One such tool, EVEscape, combines data on how viruses evolved in the past with biological information about current viruses. It has been effective in predicting major COVID-19 mutations and is now being used for other viruses too.

Although AI models are improving, they still have limits. They can predict small changes but struggle with big leaps, like the emergence of Omicron. More data and advanced AI tools are needed to fill this gap.

Scientists worldwide are refining these models to better understand and prepare for viral evolution. With AI, the hope is to predict new threats early and respond quickly to protect public health.

Source: hpcwire