OpenAI, in partnership with PerturbAI and Scripps Research, utilized a swarm of nearly 2,000 AI agents to analyze a CRISPR atlas. The system, known as GPT-Rosalind, processed data covering 8 million mouse brain cells and nearly 2,000 disease-linked genes in 32 minutes. Experts estimate that human researchers would require several months to a year for an equivalent task.
The agents generated a reasoning atlas by cross-referencing gene disruption responses with existing scientific literature. The multi-agent system cited over 700 references, compared to 11 citations from a single agent. In blinded tests, specialists preferred the outputs generated by the swarm in 75% of cases.
The analysis identified specific gene effects related to tuberous sclerosis and proposed a new hypothesis for Perry syndrome involving the DCTN1 gene and neuronal cholesterol regulation. PerturbAI, which released its CRISPR atlas in March 2026, reports over 40,000 downloads to date. The findings currently await experimental validation and peer review.
