Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed AMP-Diffusion, an AI-driven generative model that creates tens of thousands of novel antimicrobial peptides to combat drug-resistant bacteria. The most potent peptides tested in animal models matched the effectiveness of FDA-approved antibiotics without detectable side effects. This breakthrough harnesses AI’s ability to explore vast sequence spaces, offering a revolutionary platform to accelerate antibiotic discovery amid rising microbial resistance and a paucity of new drugs.