Google has introduced a powerful new artificial intelligence system designed to help scientists better understand the human genome and its hidden complexities. The tool, called AlphaGenome, has been developed by Google DeepMind and is being described by researchers as a major scientific breakthrough in genetic research.
The Google AlphaGenome model uses advanced deep learning techniques to analyze extremely long DNA sequences and predict how individual nucleotide changes can affect gene expression. Scientists believe this capability could eventually help identify the genetic causes of complex diseases and support the development of more targeted treatments.
Although the full human genome was mapped in 2003, understanding how DNA actually controls biological processes has remained a major challenge. Only about 2 percent of DNA is responsible for creating proteins, while the remaining 98 percent, often called non-coding DNA, plays a crucial role in regulating how genes function inside cells. This regulatory DNA has long been difficult to interpret, and that is where Google AlphaGenome aims to make a difference.
The model has been trained using publicly available genomic data collected from hundreds of human and mouse cell types. It can examine DNA sequences that are up to one million letters long, allowing it to capture the full regulatory environment surrounding a gene. At the same time, it maintains high resolution, enabling researchers to compare normal and mutated DNA sequences to study disease-related variants.
According to DeepMind scientists, this level of detail was previously impossible without sacrificing either sequence length or prediction accuracy. Researchers who tested the model say it performs very well and helps map functional elements of the genome at a molecular level.
More than 3,000 scientists from 160 countries have already tested the tool. Google has made it freely available for non-commercial research, encouraging scientists to expand its capabilities with additional data.
While experts caution that environmental factors also influence gene behavior, many agree that Google AlphaGenome represents a significant step forward in genomic science and could transform how genetic diseases are studied in the future.
