Rethinking bioinformatics expertise in the era of artificial intelligence
Journal article, 2026
Artificial intelligence (AI) is often framed as replacing scientific expertise, especially in bioinformatics. We argue instead that AI is a powerful accelerant whose value depends on expert guidance in design, data curation, interpretation, and governance. Because AI cannot judge biological meaning or verify scientific validity, bioinformaticians remain essential. Their role is shifting from workflow execution toward AI design, complex discovery, and responsible institutional leadership across research, translation, and clinical practice.
Author
Wilson Wen Bin Goh
Imperial College London
Nanyang Technological University
Institute of Mental Health
Annikka Polster
Chalmers, Life Sciences, Systems and Synthetic Biology
Oslo University Hospital
Limsoon Wong
National University of Singapore (NUS)
Marija Cvijovic
Chalmers, Mathematical Sciences, Applied Mathematics and Statistics
University of Gothenburg
Npj Digital Medicine
23986352 (eISSN)
Vol. 9 1 398Subject Categories (SSIF 2025)
Bioinformatics (Computational Biology)
DOI
10.1038/s41746-026-02777-1
PubMed
42185516