Issue Fresh Threads

Summary

Fresh Threads asks what would happen if new materials could be made in seconds. Machine intelligence would power new algorithmic models and techniques that predict how a material will behave before it is produced. That capability would speed up the discovery of new materials dramatically. The opportunity belongs to the Materials Revolution megatrend and relies on advanced computing, AI and robotics, drawing on trends such as the future of raw materials, open data and mobilising innovation. Its keywords include AI-driven materials discovery, autonomous experimentation, next-generation materials and self-driving laboratories, with aerospace, energy and manufacturing among the sectors most affected.