The Fleming Initiative and Google DeepMind lay the path for AI to help tackle antimicrobial resistance

A report by the Fleming Initiative and Google DeepMind suggests that AI can significantly help combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a global health threat that is expected to cost nearly 40 million lives by 2050. AI could enable rapid diagnosis, discover new drugs for resistant infections, and predict the spread of resistant bacteria. However, AI systems require investment in infrastructure, computing power, and training. The report, developed following a roundtable with global leaders, calls for equitable participation, access, and use of data and AI systems in combating AMR. The report also announces a joint Academic Fellowship to develop interdisciplinary capabilities to realize the potential of AI in AMR. The report emphasizes the urgent need to develop skills across diagnostics, surveillance, and therapeutic discovery.