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Delving further into biological systems, Hassabis highlights protein folding as another problem ideally suited for AI. Proteins, essential for virtually all biological functions, are formed from chains of amino acids which fold into intricate three-dimensional shapes. Predicting how these proteins fold is a monumental challenge that has persisted for over 50 years.

Traditionally, brute-force computing methods struggled to tackle this prediction accurately. However, through DeepMind's AlphaFold, the AI was able to solve significant aspects of the protein folding problem, marking a breakthrough in accuracy and efficiency. This capability is pivotal, as understanding protein structure is vital for comprehending numerous biological processes and accelerating drug discovery.