Automating the Practice of Science -- Opportunities, Challenges, and Implications
Abstract
Automation transformed various aspects of our human civilization, revolutionizing industries and streamlining processes. In the domain of scientific inquiry, automated approaches emerged as powerful tools, holding promise for accelerating discovery, enhancing reproducibility, and overcoming the traditional impediments to scientific progress. This article evaluates the scope of automation within scientific practice and assesses recent approaches. Furthermore, it discusses different perspectives to the following questions: Where do the greatest opportunities lie for automation in scientific practice?; What are the current bottlenecks of automating scientific practice?; and What are significant ethical and practical consequences of automating scientific practice? By discussing the motivations behind automated science, analyzing the hurdles encountered, and examining its implications, this article invites researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders to navigate the rapidly evolving frontier of automated scientific practice.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2409.05890,
title = {Automating the Practice of Science -- Opportunities, Challenges, and Implications},
author = {Sebastian Musslick and Laura K. Bartlett and Suyog H. Chandramouli and Marina Dubova and Fernand Gobet and Thomas L. Griffiths and Jessica Hullman and Ross D. King and J. Nathan Kutz and Christopher G. Lucas and Suhas Mahesh and Franco Pestilli and Sabina J. Sloman and William R. Holmes},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2409.05890},
year = {2024}
}