The cell is arguably the smallest unit of life and is central to understanding biology. Accurate modeling of cells is important for this understanding as well as for determining the root causes of disease. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), combined with the ability to generate large-scale experimental data, present novel opportunities to model cells. Here we propose a vision of AI-powered Virtual Cells, where robust representations of cells and cellular systems under different conditions are directly learned from growing biological data across measurements and scales. We discuss desired capabilities of AI Virtual Cells, including generating universal representations of biological entities across scales, and facilitating interpretable in silico experiments to predict and understand their behavior using Virtual Instruments. We further address the challenges, opportunities and requirements to realize this vision including data needs, evaluation strategies, and community standards and engagement to ensure biological accuracy and broad utility. We envision a future where AI Virtual Cells help identify new drug targets, predict cellular responses to perturbations, as well as scale hypothesis exploration. With open science collaborations across the biomedical ecosystem that includes academia, philanthropy, and the biopharma and AI industries, a comprehensive predictive understanding of cell mechanisms and interactions is within reach.

Artificial intelligence is certainly affecting everything we do. And much of that innovation with AI comes from venture funding. So it's no surprise that one day, someone would think of mixing these two things. It, in its own words, is "The world's first Venture Capital fund powered entirely by Artificial Intelligence." According to the site, The AIVC is 100% data driven. It uses historical data and advanced predictive algorithms to make investment decisions, much like a normal VC would.

Which is why an anonymous individual (or individuals) went to the internet to make a mockery of both. The AIVC describes itself as, "The world's first Venture Capital fund powered entirely by Artificial Intelligence." It might be a damn good laugh, but it also leaves us wondering if a bot could pick VC investments better than a human can. I decided to mess around with it, pitching a fake startup idea and taking in all of amusing shade it had to throw. I went with a service providing on-demand showers.