Nature Names First AI for Discovery Award Winners
Four researchers applying AI to science across healthcare, sustainability, energy, and manufacturing were recognized in a London ceremony.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Science — General
Live Poll
Do you think AI will do more good than harm for everyday people's health?
Nature Awards and the BCG X AI Science Institute announced the first recipients of the AI for Discovery Award, honoring four researchers using artificial intelligence for scientific research. Each winner receives a US$10,000 development grant and customized virtual training.
Why it matters
The award highlights how AI is being applied to scientific problems across fields such as healthcare and energy, with an emphasis on responsible use of the technology. Recognition and funding aim to support researchers working on societal challenges through discovery.
The award provides a US$10,000 development grant to each of four recipients plus customized virtual training from BCG X AI Science Institute experts. The source does not indicate how many applicants competed or what the projects will ultimately produce.
The players
Nature Awards
Nature Awards is the awards program of Nature, one of the world's most prominent scientific journals, which launched the AI for Discovery Award in partnership with BCG X.
BCG X AI Science Institute
The BCG X AI Science Institute is the research and training arm of BCG X, the technology unit of Boston Consulting Group, which partnered with Nature Awards on the award.
The details
The four 2026 recipients are Michael Skinnider of Princeton University, Kevin Jablonka of Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Yang Chai of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Houriiyah Tegally of CERI and Stellenbosch University. Skinnider uses AI to identify previously unknown molecules in the human body, Jablonka combines experimental findings with scientific literature, Chai is developing on-device AI sensors, and Tegally combines AI with genomic, epidemiological, and climate data to improve infectious disease surveillance.
Timeline
November 6, 2026: Nature Awards and BCG X AI Science Institute announced the recipients.
Big Picture
The AI for Discovery Award extends Nature Awards' established recognition of scientific research into a new category centered on artificial intelligence as a research tool. It signals that AI-driven discovery is now being formally honored alongside traditional scientific achievement.
The award funds small development grants and training for researchers building AI tools for science, which could eventually shape new diagnostics, materials, and energy technologies. Any commercialization timelines for the winners' projects are not described in the source.
The takeaway
AI is increasingly being used as a scientific instrument across many fields, and dedicated awards and grants are emerging to support that work. Readers following AI in research can watch how these early recipients' projects develop over time.
Further reading
For more on how researchers are applying new tools to discovery, explore Science — General coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Knowledgespeak.
Live Poll
Do you think AI will do more good than harm for everyday people's health?
