MIT researchers have used AI to design two new antibiotics targeting drug-resistant gonorrhoea and MRSA, a “superbug” that can cause serious infections if it enters the body. The compounds, built atom-by-atom, were effective in lab and mouse tests, according to BBC.

The drugs need one to two years of refinement before clinical trials, but scientists say the breakthrough could spark a “second golden age” in antibiotic discovery. Experts note challenges remain, including safety testing, complex manufacturing, and limited commercial incentives due to the need to use new antibiotics sparingly.