Why is Anthropic running its own biology lab?

Anthropic has set up a wet-lab where its AI models direct real biology experiments — pipetting robots, cell cultures, the works — to test whether AI systems can do useful scientific work on their own rather than just talk about it. The key question isn’t whether the AI can follow a protocol, but whether it can design experiments, interpret unexpected results, and iterate like a researcher. If it works, the same loop could accelerate drug discovery and materials science; if the models cut corners or misread data, that’s a safety signal the industry needs before handing AI the keys to more labs. Watch for peer-reviewed results, not just company blog posts.