Claims

Factual · Science and research methods

“When we announced AlphaFold 2 last December, it was hailed as a solution to the 50-year old protein folding problem.”

Demis Hassabis, DeepMind CEO, on DeepMind blog · 22 July 2021 · Putting the power of AlphaFold into the world's hands (Google DeepMind)

When DeepMind announced AlphaFold 2 in December, it was hailed as a solution to the 50-year-old protein folding problem.

Mostly true True in substance, wrong in a detail.

Said for an organisation they lead or work for; it counts on both records.

What would count as true or false

True: DeepMind announced AlphaFold 2 in December 2020 (after CASP14, in late November / December 2020), and prominent scientists, CASP organisers or major media described it as solving, or as a solution to, the roughly 50-year-old protein folding problem. Mostly true: the announcement came on 30 November 2020 rather than in December, or such descriptions were widespread but the '50-year' framing is slightly off. Mixed: it was praised as a major advance, but 'solution' claims were limited or heavily disputed. Mostly false: it was announced but rarely described as a solution. False: there was no such announcement or reception at that time.

Evidence

1. DeepMind develops AI solution to 50-year-old protein challenge EurekAlert (DeepMind press release, London dateline) · 30 November 2020 Own record

   “In a major scientific advance, the latest version of DeepMind's AI system AlphaFold has been recognised as a solution to the 50-year-old grand challenge of protein structure prediction, often referred to as the 'protein folding problem', according to a rigorous independent assessment.”

2. CASP14 press release CASP (Critical Assessment of protein Structure Prediction), predictioncenter.org · 30 November 2020

   “Today (Monday) researchers at the 14th Community Wide Experiment on the Critical Assessment of Techniques for Protein Structure Prediction (CASP14) will announce that an artificial intelligence (AI) solution to the challenge has been found.”

3. Protein folding and science communication: Between hype and humility Making Science Public (blog) · 4 December 2020

   “Whipple’s good overview of this scientific development in The Times was headlined on 30 November: “DeepMind finds biology’s ‘holy grail’ with answer to protein problem””

4. Protein folding and science communication: Between hype and humility Making Science Public (blog) · 4 December 2020

   “Stephen Curry who showed in more detail that talking about the protein folding problem being ‘solved’ might be premature.”

Reasoning

The CASP14 organisers' press release (E2), dated 30 November 2020, announced that an AI solution to the protein structure prediction challenge had been found, and The Times headlined its coverage as an 'answer to protein problem' and biology's 'holy grail' (E3). DeepMind's own release used the 50-year-old framing (E1). However, the announcement was made on 30 November 2020 rather than in December, which the criteria grade as mostly true. One dissenting view that 'solved' was premature (E4) does not amount to the heavy dispute needed for 'mixed'.

Cite this claim

Demis Hassabis, “When DeepMind announced AlphaFold 2 in December, it was hailed as a solution to the 50-year-old protein folding problem.” (said 22 July 2021). Verdict: mostly true. Reliability API, claim c_19ec7e2f1d60, method 0.1.0+c876030c. https://epistacklabs.com/claims/c_19ec7e2f1d60