Fighting cancer with artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is in the midst of a renaissance. New techniques are producing results, such as the defeat of a Go world champion by an AI system developed by a subsidiary of Google, which would have been unthinkable five years ago. These techniques are not just being used to play games. Today, AI is being applied to one of humanity's most daunting challenges: the hunt for a cure for cancer. AI has huge potential for helping scientists manage the mind-boggling complexities of research and other data, to expedite cancer drug discovery and translate scientific findings into real benefits for patients.