Biologists question AI's big bet: predictive models trained on a single RNA layer
gklambauer · x · 2026-11-12
A thread by Ryan York, amplified by Broad Institute's Anne Carpenter, questions the current investment boom in predictive biology models:
- Most models learn from a single layer of the biological hierarchy, usually RNA/transcriptomics
- They assume what's found there carries over to higher-level phenotypes — whether that mapping holds decides if the large bet pays off
- Carpenter adds: "Most of what determines organismal performance isn't visible in the molecular layers we measure most"
An 11-post thread on a foundational problem in AI for Science.
Related event: Researchers Question Biology Prediction Models Built on a Single Layer(2 posts)→
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