EurekAlert! In the Spotlight - Artificial Intelligence

Welcome to In the Spotlight, where each month we shine a light on something exciting, timely, or simply fascinating from the world of science.

This month, we’re focusing on artificial intelligence (AI), a topic that continues to capture attention everywhere. Here, you’ll find the latest research news, insights, and discoveries shaping how AI is being developed and used across the world.

Latest News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 1-Jan-2026 07:11 ET (1-Jan-2026 12:11 GMT/UTC)

2-Sep-2025

AI can save lives—But only if we guide it

George Mason University

In the George Mason University's College of Public Health, researchers are embracing AI’s potential while also interrogating it, testing it, and redesigning it to work better for real people. Faculty are building AI tools to detect cancer earlier, support dementia patients, guide students through biostatistics, document evidence of violence, and flag burnout in caregivers—targeting some of public health’s toughest challenges.

2-Sep-2025

Synthetic cells could be a new way to deliver drugs in the body

University College London
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A synthetic cell that can be activated by a magnetic field to release a medicine whilst deep in the body has been created by chemists at UCL (University College London) and the University of Oxford.

Journal: Nature Chemistry
Funder: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Royal Society

2-Sep-2025

ITU report details US$2.6-2.8 trillion cost to connect everyone meaningfully by 2030

International Telecommunication Union
Reports and Proceedings

Achieving universal, meaningful Internet connectivity by 2030 could require an investment of USD 2.6 trillion to USD 2.8 trillion at current prices, according to the Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint.

2-Sep-2025

Altmetric adds Sentiment Analysis to social media tracking

Digital Science
Business Announcement

Altmetric has introduced a new AI-powered sentiment analysis feature, providing research teams with deeper insights into the public response and impact of their work on selected social media platforms.

2-Sep-2025

Penn engineers unveil generative AI model that designs new antibiotics

University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Using the same technology that AI uses to generate images, Penn researchers created thousands of antibiotic candidates, with two proving as effective in animal models as FDA-approved drugs.

Journal: Cell Biomaterials
Funder: Hartwell Foundation, NIH/National Institutes of Health, Procter and Gamble, United Therapeutics Corporation, Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, American Institute of Chemical Engineers

2-Sep-2025

FAU Engineering awarded USDA grant for smart farming breakthrough

Florida Atlantic University
Grant and Award Announcement

This groundbreaking, multi-institutional research project is aimed at revolutionizing the future of precision agriculture through the development of an advanced edge/fog computing-based framework.

2-Sep-2025

AI effective at detecting advanced breast cancer, but misses some cases

Korea University College of Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A Korean research team has reported that artificial intelligence (AI) used in mammography missed 14% of invasive breast cancers, the type where delayed diagnosis can directly impact patient survival.

Journal: Radiology