What happens if we can predict how viruses mutate? Scientists are now using AI to study SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses. Tools like CoVFit and EVEscape analyse mutations and show which variants have the greatest chance of spreading. ”This is an exciting area that could change our perspective on pandemics,” says Brian Hie, a researcher at Stanford. AI can already point out which changes make a virus more contagious.

The tools are used to test future vaccines against variants that don't even exist yet. The technology is not yet perfect – it can handle simpler mutations but struggles to predict more complex combinations. Despite this, researchers see enormous potential. ”We have already come far thanks to AI and can now stay one step ahead in the fight against viruses,” says David Robertson, a virologist at Glasgow. With AI, future pandemic control could become faster, more accurate, and more effective.
Source: Nature