We asked artificial intelligence (AI) whether it could end animal testing for good – here’s what it said

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become seemingly ubiquitous but its human-like ability has stirred public opinion. Can AI be used for good to put an end to animal testing?

It’s fair to say the emergence – and sudden improvement – of artificial intelligence (AI) has been met with scrupulous suspicion and scrutiny.

Over the past year, the barrage of sensationalist headlines and media debates about the ‘dangerous’ consequences of AI has left us all feeling a little unnerved by the seemingly ubiquitous software.

Six months ago, leaders in the tech industry even caused for an ‘immediate pause’ to large AI experiments over concerns of ‘profound risks to society’.

AI giants didn’t listen, too busy running the race to render human-ability completely useless.

With any technology, intent and use is imperative in boosting public opinion and building trust.

Even an AI software told me it cannot be defined as ‘good or bad’ and reminds us its ‘consequences are determined by human decisions and actions’.

So, what if instead of only helping school kids cheat on essays and creating a mass of job redundancies – maybe AI could help put an end to animal testing altogether…

What is AI (and can it be responsible)?

In laymen’s terms, AI is basically a computer or type of machine that can do stuff humans can. It’s like a very smart calculator that can do other stuff like writing, coding, finding information etc.

If this sounds quite familiar, it’s because it is.

“We’ve been using AI in the background for decades already, it’s only the recent and much-more-hyped developments that are causing the reaction they are,”AI expert and Chartered Security Professional  James Bore told Vegan Food & Living.

“Back in the 80s we were talking about and dealing with expert systems, which also fall under the AI umbrella, and the excitement died out within a decade even while many of the technologies continued to be used in the background.

“Whether or not the latest AI iterations will be any longer lasting remains to be seen.”

AI describes itself (Meta, right?) as ‘the science of making computers and machines think and learn like humans’.

One AI bot said: “AI involves creating computer programs and systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. This includes problem-solving, recognising patterns, understanding natural language, and making decisions.”

The downfalls

Google says AI has the ability to ‘meaningfully improve people’s lives’ and argues the ‘biggest impact will come when everyone can access it’.

However, it also acknowledges public concern and lists potential downfalls the software could create.

The most alarming risks it cites is creating or worsening cyber attacks, misinformation, inequality, and potentially amplifying societal biases and harms.

“We recognise the harms that these failures can cause, especially for different communities and contexts across the globe,” the tech company said.

“It is critical to invest in mitigating the above risks to increase trust, ensure safe and inclusive user experiences, and enable AI to fully benefit people and society.”

Animal testing in the modern age

The use of animal testing in an era where science has become so advance we can create robots that have effectively out-smartened us seems slightly dystopian and ultimately… unnecessary.

And in spite of this, millions of sentient beings are still suffering in labs around the world. In the UK alone, figures show that last year there were a staggering 2,761,204 uses of animal testing.

Whilst this is a 10 percent decrease from 2021, animal welfare activists say this ‘gradual reduction’ is not enough.

“Animal testing is on borrowed time – and that’s even without AI,” says Fleur Disney of Animal Aid.

“Outdated research methods have already been replaced by human-relevant alternatives, which in simple terms means better science already exists.”

Disney describes animal testing as a ‘gamble’ as ‘animal physiology is very different from ours’.

“This why today’s scientists need to use non-animal methods including computer and stem-cell modelling,” she added.

“These testing methods are more reliable, accurate and relevant to humans. The emergence of AI has the potential to affect scientific studies, but it is in no way necessary to eradicate animal testing.”

So, can AI end animal testing?

I asked ChatGP – one of the leading AI brands – whether its software could be used to eradicate animal testing.

Modestly, the bot told me that AI does possess the ‘potential to significantly reduce and refine animal testing in scientific research and product development’.

However, it points out certain limitations that even its super smart and scary bots can’t code their way out of.

So, here are the ways AI says it can help end animal testing for good:

• In Silico Testing: AI can simulate biological processes and predict the effects of drugs, chemicals, and cosmetics on human and animal bodies using computer models. This can reduce the need for live animal testing in some cases.
• Data Analysis: AI can analyse vast amounts of existing data from previous experiments, clinical trials, and animal tests to identify patterns and insights that can inform future research. This can lead to more efficient and targeted testing, reducing the number of animals needed.
• Drug Discovery: AI-driven drug discovery platforms can identify potential drug candidates and screen compounds more accurately, reducing the reliance on animal testing during early drug development stages.
• Toxicity Prediction: Machine learning models can predict the toxicity of substances based on their chemical properties, reducing the need for animal testing to assess safety.
• 3D Organ Models: AI can be used to develop and improve 3D organ models (such as organs-on-a-chip) that mimic human biology more accurately, allowing researchers to study the effects of substances without using animals.
• Behavioural Analysis: In behavioural research, AI can help monitor and analyse animal behaviour, reducing the number of animals required for experiments and providing more accurate data.

Regarding limitations, AI acknowledged that it may take a while for regulatory approval to trust AI-based alternatives.

It also cited the complexity of biological systems as another setback as ‘some diseases are still not fully understood’.

Turns out our bots do have hearts – as ‘ethical considerations’ were also mentioned.

“Even if AI can reduce the need for animal testing, ethical concerns related to animal welfare and the use of animals in research remain important considerations,” the bot said.

“In conclusion, AI can play a crucial role in reducing and refining animal testing by offering alternative methods and tools for research and testing.

“However, completely ending animal testing may require changes in regulations, ongoing scientific advancements, and ethical considerations to be fully addressed.”

(Human) expert on AI

“When we’re talking about AI and animal testing we’re looking at digital twin technology, which provides electronic copies of real-world systems for testing and generative AI such as the well-known ChatGPT,” Bore said in an interview with Vegan Food & Living.

“Generative AI is built by feeding it large amounts of data and training it to produce outputs synthesised from that data in response to prompts.

“Using digital twins, instead of testing on living animals or people, initial trials can be run on simulations.”

Bore also states that whilst these simulations ‘won’t be perfect’ they are ‘good enough to make significant improvements before any real-world trials begin’.

“Once the technology is further developed and accepted by regulators and companies it will make a big difference,” he added.

Smarter Sorting

AI’s ascent into the mainstream was so rapid most of us haven’t realised the extent it is already being used.

Smarter Sorting, for example, is already using the software to detect toxicity in foods without the need for animal testing.

“Most ingredients used in consumer products have toxicity data that goes back decades,” says regulatory expert AJ Kenny, according to reports.

“So we have all this great data that exists at the ingredient level, so you would plug these into formulas based on estimates of, okay, this ingredient makes up 10 percent of the overall product.”

Smarter Sorting’s use of AI has potential to reduce deaths linked to toxic foods, and shows how the software can help cut out unnecessary animal testing.

How YOU can help end animal testing

Even though you can’t beat AI in a spelling test (I tried) it doesn’t mean you can’t help put an end to animal suffering.

Abstaining from purchasing cosmetics and skincare products from companies that still test on animals puts you outside the realm of unethical supply and demand.

An easy way to spot cruelty-free products is by searching for the Leaping Bunny logo – as well as certification from the likes of PETA. But, some products that are classified as cruelty-free may still not be suitable for vegans.

Are you putting your money where you month is? Here’s how to find ethical investments for vegans

Featured photo © jxfzsy via Getty Images