Reflections from the Festival dell’Economia 2026
Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we conduct research, offering unprecedented opportunities to accelerate scientific discovery. Recent advances in AI-assisted research, including multi-agent systems and AI co-scientist approaches, are enabling faster hypothesis generation, quicker iteration cycles and new ways to explore complex scientific questions.
Yet, as AI becomes increasingly integrated into our daily work, an important question emerges: are we simply doing more, or are we actually thinking better?
This reflection accompanied COSBI’s participation in the opening events of the Festival dell’Economia 2026 in Trento. During the inauguration, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi shared a thought-provoking idea: happiness is not something we possess, but something we are immersed in. The same concept can be applied to scientific research.
The most meaningful discoveries rarely come from speed alone. They emerge from curiosity, critical thinking, focus and the ability to connect ideas across disciplines. While AI can help automate tasks and accelerate workflows, it should ultimately support deeper understanding rather than create additional layers of complexity and distraction.
At COSBI, where computational biology, mechanistic modeling and artificial intelligence converge, we see AI as a powerful enabler of innovation. Its greatest value lies not only in increasing productivity, but in helping researchers ask better questions, explore more meaningful hypotheses and make more informed decisions.
As AI continues to reshape research and drug development, maintaining a human-centered perspective remains essential. Technology should amplify scientific creativity and rigor, not replace them.
The challenge ahead is therefore not simply to accelerate science, but to ensure that acceleration leads to deeper insight and more impactful discoveries.
