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Metagenomi Uses Amazon’s AI Chips to Power Next-Gen Gene Editing

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Biotech company Metagenomi (MGX.O) has begun using Amazon Web Services’ custom AI chips to accelerate the discovery of new gene-editing technologies, marking one of the first major biotech applications of Amazon’s in-house silicon beyond large language models and chatbots.

The Emeryville, California-based firm, which is developing tools to deliver gene therapies directly into human cells, said AWS Inferentia chips have given it a major cost advantage over Nvidia’s AI hardware, cutting computational expenses by about half while maintaining comparable performance.

Metagenomi’s approach relies heavily on artificial intelligence to design and test enzymes capable of safely editing DNA. The company scans nature for rare proteins that might serve as effective delivery vehicles for genetic material and then uses AI to generate millions of variants in search of the most effective designs.

“We generated over a million different proteins from a rare class of enzymes used in gene editing,” said Chris Brown, Metagenomi’s head of discovery. “It was a clear cost advantage to use the Inferentia platform. Unless you cast a broad enough net early, you risk missing key breakthroughs entirely.”

Amazon’s Inferentia chips, first introduced in 2019 to enhance the AI capabilities of its Alexa virtual assistant, are now being used by other industries beyond software — with biotechnology emerging as a new frontier for AI-driven hardware.

By applying cloud-based AI to the complex problem of gene delivery and editing, Metagenomi hopes to make treatments for genetic disorders faster and more affordable, while demonstrating how custom AI infrastructure can accelerate scientific discovery.

AI-Guided Cameras Enable Solo Surgery in Breakthrough for Surgical Automation

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For the first time in Chile, a surgeon successfully performed laparoscopic gallbladder removal solo using an AI-guided autonomous camera, marking a milestone in the march toward surgical automation.

Key Event

  • Dr. Ricardo Funke, chief of surgery at Clinica Las Condes in Santiago, carried out the operation without a human assistant.

  • The AI-powered camera tracked his instruments in real time, automatically adjusting angles to provide optimal visualization.

  • The procedure also used magnetic surgical instruments, further enhancing precision.

Why It Matters

  • Traditionally, laparoscopic surgeries require a camera operator.

  • With AI, one surgeon can handle the entire operation, boosting efficiency and reducing reliance on additional staff.

  • This advancement represents a practical step toward fully automated surgeries.

Wider Context

  • The global surgical robotics market is forecast to expand from $15.6 billion in 2024 to $64.4 billion by 2034 (Precedence Research).

  • In July, Johns Hopkins University demonstrated an AI-guided robot performing complex procedures on pig organs, highlighting global momentum in the field.

  • The technology in Santiago was developed by Levita Magnetics, whose CEO Alberto Rodriguez said the procedure is “the first step in surgical automation with a real patient.”

Outlook

  • AI-guided tools may soon play a central role in improving surgical precision, reducing risks, and enabling wider access to care.

  • While full autonomy remains a future goal, hybrid approaches—where AI assists human surgeons—are rapidly moving from research labs to real operating rooms.

EU Regulator Approves AI Tool for Fatty Liver Disease Trials

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The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has approved the use of an artificial intelligence (AI) tool, AIM-NASH, to assess the severity of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) in clinical trials. The condition, which affects 1.5% to 6.5% of U.S. adults, is a challenging liver disease with limited treatment options.

AIM-NASH utilizes machine learning trained on over 100,000 annotations from 59 pathologists who analyzed more than 5,000 liver biopsies across nine major clinical trials. The EMA’s human medicines committee (CHMP) found that the AI tool provides more consistent and reliable assessments than traditional methods, which rely on subjective evaluations from multiple pathologists.

With this approval, data generated using AIM-NASH will be considered scientifically valid in clinical trials, potentially accelerating the development of new MASH treatments. Currently, Madrigal Pharmaceuticals’ Rezdiffra is the only U.S.-approved drug for MASH, while companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are conducting trials to explore additional treatment options.