A near-autonomous AI chemist improves a challenging reaction in medicinal chemistry

OpenAI's GPT-5.4 AI system, connected to Maria (an autonomous chemistry lab), successfully improved a difficult chemical reaction called Chan-Lam coupling used in drug discovery. The AI independently designed and ran experiments, analyzed results, and proposed improvements that increased reaction yields from 16.6% to 25.2%, a finding that human chemists confirmed in the lab.