Artificial intelligence (AI) models are now used daily by many people worldwide, both for professional and personal purposes. Over the past decades, scientists specialized in various disciplines have also started using these models to conduct research or simplify their experimental practices.

Researchers at Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory recently explored the possibility of using an AI-powered agent to prepare a synchrotron-based X-ray experiment. Synchrotrons are large research facilities at which electrons are accelerated to produce very bright X-rays, which can then be used to study the atomic structure of materials, molecules and biological samples.

In a paper published in Nature Machine Intelligence, the team at Stanford and SLAC proposed using an AI-based agent to prepare a real synchrotron X-ray experiment. They showed that this agent could autonomously plan actions, interpret observations and generate instrument-control commands to complete sample alignment.