Invited speaker: Mengdi Wang ( From Genome to Theorem: Can AI Agents Do Science?)

Title: From Genome to Theorem: Can AI Agents Do Science?

Abstract: Large Language Models (LLMs) are increasingly being explored as tools for scientific reasoning — not just in language tasks, but across disciplines such as math, biology, and genomics. In this talk, I’ll discuss recent developments in AI for science, including genome language models, AI gene-editing co-scientist, and LLMs for math. I’ll highlight both the capabilities and current limitations of LLMs, and discuss key gaps between AI and science such as the overoptimism in AI’s capabilities and the lack of benchmark and rigorous evaluation. As we push toward AI systems that can assist with discovery, the question remains: can LLMs truly do science — or are we still in the early stages of bridging that divide?