Is AI going to change everything — or are we overreacting? And what does a chemist who studies the history and philosophy of science think about it all?

In this episode, we talk with José Ferraz-Caetano — a Portuguese researcher working at the intersection of computational chemistry, data science, and the philosophy of science. José has a rare vantage point: he builds AI tools for chemistry at MIT Portugal, while also studying how science itself works at the Institute of Contemporary History.

We get into:

• What AI can (and can't) actually do in scientific research
• Why the public conversation about AI keeps getting it wrong
• How a philosopher of science thinks about technological risk
• What it means to understand AI — not just use it

José is a Fulbright Scholar with the University of California Irvine, a researcher at MIT Portugal, and Assistant Editor of the Fulbright Chronicles: https://fulbright-chronicles.com/

The Fulbrighter Podcast spotlights researchers and scholars making an impact beyond borders. If you would like to become a Fulbrighter as well, head to the following link to learn more about the program and how to apply: https://fulbrightprogram.org/apply/ 

Audio editing: Anike Lamoso

Presenting: Gabriele Jimenez