Pfizer

Odds are that the next mass contagion will jump to humans from animals. But which species? Virus hunters are using learning algorithms to learn which animals are likely to carry microbes that pose a danger to humans.

A survey of AI in large companies sees boom times ahead — if AI teams can get past issues that surround implementation. Businesses of all sizes are using more machine learning, spending more on it, and hiring more engineers to wrangle it.

Will deep learning discover new medicines? Startups — and big-pharma partners — are betting on it. The problem: In theory, there’s a pharmacological cure for just about any ailment. In practice, discovering those therapies takes years and billions of dollars.