How AI could unlock the medical potential of psychedelics

Research into the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs was pioneered by psychiatrists way back in the 1950s, but the emergence of advanced technologies in pharma appears to have breathed new life into the field. As interest in the psychedelics market gains stream, a number of drug companies are now employing artificial intelligence (AI) methods in their search for new psychedelic compounds to treat a range of mental and physical conditions. One in four people in the UK will experience some kind of mental health problem every year, and figures are almost identical in the US. Despite this, treatments for psychological conditions are relatively limited – and for many patients, the drugs that are available come with side effects that negatively impact their quality of life. Psychedelics are hallucinogenic drugs that alter a person's perception and mood and affect their thought processes.