Did we underhype AlphaFold? Protein folding may matter more than a Millennium Problem
AltruisticCoder · reddit · 2026-09-22
A Reddit discussion with an actual thesis: the author, not AGI-pilled but impressed by new models' math performance, asks which matters more for science — solving a Millennium math problem or folding essentially every protein structure.
- Core claim: protein folding's impact on human health science may ultimately outweigh cracking a Millennium Problem
- Implication: AlphaFold's release was possibly underhyped, while today's math-model breakthroughs may be overhyped
- An open debate on how to weigh fundamental scientific value, with the author inviting counterarguments
More from AGI Musings
- Prediction: hospitals will keep their own tested open-model formularies in two years — MaziyarPanahi · 2026-11-12
- Packy revives Qwest CEO's 1998 'no bandwidth glut' quote for the AI oversupply debate — prestonpesek · 2026-11-12
- Stanford's James Zou joins The Economist podcast on AI agents in science — anshulkundaje · 2026-11-12
- a16z maps the B2A economy: AI agents are now most of web traffic and soon its buyers — venturetwins · 2026-11-12
- Jason: Anthropic is rebuilding every SaaS product into Claude—free for life — smtabatabaie · 2026-11-12
- Fleuret: if AI designs drugs as fast as it makes dumb videos, regulation will buckle — francoisfleuret · 2026-11-12