AI Breakthroughs and Challenges
In a world where AI’s performance is often seen as static, recent developments provide fresh perspectives. In their latest video, “Did You Miss These 2 AI Stories?: A *Real* LLM-crafted Breakthrough + Continual Learning Blocked?,” the channel AI Explained takes a deep dive into two significant AI stories that underscore both breakthroughs and ongoing challenges in the field (Published on October 22, 2025). The first part discusses a breakthrough in drug discovery led by an LLM called C2S Scale, developed from Google’s older Gemma 2 architecture. The model impressively generated a novel hypothesis for a cancer treatment drug, showcasing a new potential pathway for biological discovery through AI. While the idea might seem daring, it’s grounded by experimental evidence showing in-vitro success, though real-world application is years away. The narrative effectively supports the argument that language models are not merely repeating known data but contributing novel hypotheses to scientific endeavors. This is particularly notable given the AI model’s smaller scale, which begs a pivotal question: can large-scale AI surpass its perceived limitations to create similarly profound impacts?
Juxtaposed with this scientific breakthrough, the video presents a discussion on continual learning and the limitations therein, shared through comments from OpenAI’s VP of Research, Jerry Tuar. The critique posits that AI models lack memory beyond the immediate context, a significant bottleneck in AI’s development toward AGI. While AI systems excel in performance benchmarks and problem solving, the persistent issue of “amnesia” and the absence of continual learning underscore that even cutting-edge models remain tethered to existing computational and cost constraints. Tuar’s reflections on real-time online reinforcement learning suggest both exciting possibilities and potential peril, highlighting the need for robust safeguards before deploying such adaptive AI systems widely.
These two stories, while disparate, collectively contribute to a broader understanding of the current AI landscape, illustrating how advancements paired with ethical considerations shape the narrative of AI development today. As Google prepares to release its Gemini 3, the video sparks curiosity among tech enthusiasts, inviting them to witness potential groundbreaking AI advancements on the horizon. As AI continues to evolve in unpredictable ways, these insights remind us of its dual capacity for scientific advancement and its accompanying challenges.