The Lab Loop Gets New Assistants

Nature's July 9 issue places two agentic science systems side by side. Google DeepMind's Co-Scientist uses specialized Gemini-based agents to generate, critique, rank, and refine hypotheses; the paper reports expert-guided wet-lab validation across biomedical problems. FutureHouse's Robin connects literature search and data-analysis agents in a lab-in-the-loop process that identified and tested candidates for dry age-related macular degeneration. The striking result is not a machine replacing a laboratory. Both teams describe systems built around experimental validation and scientists who choose goals, constraints, and what to test next.