AI Could Deliver Major Scientific Breakthroughs Within Three Years, TikTok CEO Says

October 12, 2026 - 06:02

TikTok chief executive Shou Chew predicted that artificial intelligence will produce significant scientific breakthroughs within the next three years, pointing to the technology's rapid advance across research fields.

Speaking about the pace of development, Chew said AI systems are already accelerating work in areas such as drug discovery, materials science and biology, where they can process enormous amounts of data far faster than human researchers. He suggested the next few years could bring discoveries that once seemed decades away.

At the same time, Chew cautioned that AI's growing capabilities would require stronger safeguards, particularly as autonomous systems become more widely adopted. He noted that as machines take on more decision-making roles, the risks tied to errors, misuse and unintended consequences grow as well.

His comments add to a broader debate among technology leaders, researchers and regulators over how quickly AI should be deployed and what rules should govern it. Some argue that strict oversight could slow innovation, while others warn that moving too fast without proper controls could cause serious harm.

Chew's position reflects a middle path: optimism about AI's potential to solve hard scientific problems, paired with a call for careful oversight. How that balance is struck will likely shape both the technology's benefits and its dangers in the years ahead.