In particle physics, artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to revolutionize fundamental physics and provide a hitherto unheard-of understanding of the fate of the cosmos. Mark Thomson, the British physicist who will replace CERN’s Director-General in 2026, claims that artificial intelligence is already building the foundation for discoveries in particle physics akin to the AI-powered predictions made in protein folding, which got Google DeepMind a Nobel Prize in 2023.
AI techniques are being used at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) to identify extraordinarily rare events vital for knowledge of how mass was acquired in the early years following the Big Bang. These incidents also enable researchers to examine whether the cosmos is about to collapse catastrophically.
“It’s not only about slight enhancements,” Thomson remarked. “These are very, very big improvements people make by embracing advanced techniques.”
For what reason is artificial intelligence such a revolution for physics?
The complicated character of data in particle physics corresponds with difficulties in disciplines such as protein folding. As a highly sophisticated method, Thomson pointed out that artificial intelligence in particle physics is the secret to unlocking success in many spheres. For our field, it will be quite transforming, he said. “It’s complex data, just like protein folding – that’s an incredibly complex problem – so if you use an incredibly complex technique, like artificial intelligence, you’re going to win.”
Applying artificial intelligence allows researchers to examine data at a far more sophisticated level, which has already shown promise for releasing novel physics at the subatomic level.
In what ways might artificial intelligence complement CERN's Future Circular Collider ambitions?
Particularly as CERN’s council drives for the building of the Future Circular Collider (FCC), artificial intelligence in particle physics has revitalized the quest for new physics. The FCC would outshine the LHC with a 90-kilometer radius. Thomson remains hopeful even if some detractors doubt the $17 billion cost of the plan, particularly considering the paucity of innovative findings since the Higgs boson was discovered in 2012.
Artificial intelligence will enable physicists to make significant discoveries when the LHC’s beam intensity is anticipated to rise ten-fold in the post-2030 era. This update will allow hitherto unheard-of views of the Higgs boson, sometimes known as the “God particle,” which gives mass to other particles and ties the world together.
Regarding our knowledge of the Higgs boson, what is the next major advance?
Thomson said, “One of the most fundamental measurements about the Higgs boson is how it gives mass to itself.” Scientists may now investigate a phenomenon known as Higgs self-coupling, in which he underlined two Higgs bosons are simultaneously produced.
This unusual occurrence has been so elusive in the past that five years ago, Thomson would have thought it outside the purview of the LHC. But he is now sure that a decent measurement can be obtained using the power of artificial intelligence in particle physics. Understanding how particles acquired mass a trillionth of a second following the Big Bang depends on the Higgs self-coupling measurement. It could also show if a big transition is still to come or whether the Higgs field has attained a stable resting state, perhaps causing catastrophic evaporation of the universe.
“There’s a particular measuring about the Higgs boson that is so fundamental to the nature of the universe,” Thomson said. “That would be another enormous, tremendous finding if we observed the Higgs self-coupling depart from our present hypothesis. And you find out only once you have measured.
Can artificial intelligence assist in addressing the last questions of the universe?
Although the Standard Model of Physics points to the likelihood of a significant future change in the Higgs field that would lead to the practically instantaneous collapse of the universe, theoretical physicist Dr Matthew McCullough of CERN thinks this is not something cause for concern. “It’s not something that could happen on a timescale that has any relevance even if our stars,” he remarked. “Thus, it does not in that sense relate to humanity. Conversely, it is a scientific matter: could this occur?”
Thomson had similar ideas, characterizing it as a major scientific challenge concerning the basic features of the universe. The solutions, he thinks, will only come from better measurements—many of which are now made feasible by artificial intelligence in particle physics.
How is the LHC's running being affected by artificial intelligence already?
Already beginning to have a major influence at CERN, especially on LHC operations, artificial intelligence in particle physics is “We have to make a microsecond decision about which events are interesting and which to discard when the LHC is colliding protons; it is making roughly 40 million collisions a second,” Thomson said. Artificial intelligence has greatly enhanced this process of decision-making known as event selection.
With the speed and efficiency of artificial intelligence, CERN can now operate with the data it has gathered better than it would have thought feasible with 20 times more data just ten years ago. CERN scientists claim that artificial intelligence has improved the discipline by at least 20 years and that the rate of advancement is quickening.
How might artificial intelligence find dark matter?
Long-held hopes among scientists at CERN are that the LHC could produce dark matter, an enigmatic material thought to explain most of the universe’s mass. Dark matter is completely unknown, so finding it is not easy. According to Thomson, generative AI could provide new insights into this elusive phenomenon.
“You can start to ask more complex, open-ended questions,” he said. “Rather than searching for a particular signature, you ask the question: ‘Is there something unexpected in this data?'”
This approach could open new doors in searching for dark matter, allowing scientists to discover things they hadn’t even considered.
What's next for AI in particle physics?
As AI in particle physics continues to evolve, its role in the field is poised to expand further. With the increasing complexity of the data and the need for precise measurements, the integration of AI is not just a possibility – it’s becoming essential. As Thomson and his colleagues push the boundaries of what is possible, AI will undoubtedly remain at the forefront of their quest to understand the universe at its most fundamental level.
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