Anthropic has quietly established a physical biology laboratory in the San Francisco Bay Area as it expands its life sciences work and explores how its Claude AI models could help direct robotic systems carrying out real-world experiments, Reuters reported Friday.
The facility is a “wet lab,” where researchers can conduct physical biological experiments rather than relying only on computer simulations. Anthropic’s head of life sciences, Eric Kauderer-Abrams, confirmed the lab to Reuters and said the company is already doing some biological work internally while also using outside partners.
Anthropic later clarified that the lab is not specifically intended for drug discovery, though it declined to provide further details about the work underway there.
AI meets physical laboratory work
According to Reuters, Anthropic wants to explore how Claude could eventually direct robotic equipment used in scientific experiments with limited human intervention. The company says the effort remains at an early stage and stresses that human oversight will remain important because of safety concerns around biological research.
The broader goal is to use AI to speed up laboratory processes and potentially accelerate research into diseases that have traditionally been difficult or financially unattractive for pharmaceutical companies to pursue.
Anthropic has previously said it wants to carry out preclinical work in areas overlooked by the pharmaceutical industry. Kauderer-Abrams told Reuters that the company sees life sciences as one of the biggest opportunities for AI to have a positive impact.
Expanding Anthropic’s life sciences push
The new lab is part of a wider investment in biology and drug-development tools. Anthropic has launched Claude Science, added Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan to its board and acquired biotech startup Coefficient Bio, Reuters reported.
The company has also been recruiting for roles related to laboratory operations and biochemical work as it builds more in-house capabilities. Kauderer-Abrams said life sciences is already among Anthropic’s largest investment areas in staff and resources.
India Today, citing Reuters, noted that Anthropic’s approach could connect AI-designed experiments with robotic execution and then use the results to guide further research.
Despite its ambitions, Anthropic says it does not plan to run clinical trials for now. The company says it wants to focus on preclinical research and areas the pharmaceutical industry may not address, while avoiding direct competition with drugmakers that bring medicines to market.
