TikTok Chief Executive Officer Shou Zi Chew has predicted that artificial intelligence (AI) could lead to significant scientific breakthroughs within the next two to three years, potentially transforming fields such as physics, biotechnology, chemistry and materials science.
Speaking at the DBS Asia Future Forward Conference in Singapore on Monday, Chew expressed confidence that the rapid development of AI would accelerate scientific discoveries and open new opportunities across several industries.
“ In the next two to three years, we’re going to have a real scientific breakthrough: physics, biotech, chemistry, material science, because of AI. It’s very, very, very possible,” he said.
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His comments come as ByteDance, the Chinese technology company that owns TikTok, continues to expand its AI research beyond consumer-focused products.
In April, ByteDance’s Seed research team introduced Protenix-v2, an AI model designed to support biomolecular structure prediction and design. The technology could contribute to scientific research, including efforts to discover and develop new drugs.
Chew said AI’s potential extends well beyond its current uses, although he acknowledged that increasingly powerful systems would raise important questions about safety, responsibility and human oversight.
He stressed the importance of ensuring that AI models and machines operate in ways that align with human values and ethical expectations.
“If that happens, then you know the question would be: how do you align the models? How do you align the machines to be doing things that are obvious to us as human beings?” he said.
According to the TikTok chief, the pace of progress in scientific applications suggests that AI development is still at an early stage, with its full capabilities yet to be understood.
He argued that the technology’s long-term impact could prove much greater than many people currently anticipate.
“I think in the short term we are probably overestimating it, but in the long term we are probably underestimating it,” Chew said.
Tech Giants Increase Investment in AI Research
Chew’s outlook comes amid growing investment by major technology companies and government institutions in AI-powered scientific research.
Last week, the United States government, Meta and Google announced their participation in a $1.8 billion initiative aimed at developing AI models that can predict how cells behave. The project is intended to support biological research and accelerate drug discovery.
ByteDance is also investing in AI development and exploring opportunities to work with scientists on research projects.
Chew said the company was examining ways to collaborate with researchers to advance scientific understanding, describing the work already undertaken in the field as encouraging.
“There’s an effort to see how we can collaborate with a lot of scientists to make some progress in science as well,” he added.
He identified scientific discovery as one of AI’s most promising applications, noting that the technology is also becoming increasingly important to TikTok’s daily operations.
AI already plays a significant role in areas such as content recommendations, search, content creation and moderation, highlighting its expanding influence across digital platforms.
Chew Warns of Growing AI Cybersecurity Risks
Despite his optimism about AI’s scientific potential, Chew warned that the technology’s growing capabilities could introduce serious cybersecurity challenges.
He expressed concern about the increasing use of AI agents that can perform tasks independently, particularly when users grant them extensive access to personal accounts, financial information or other sensitive resources.
Chew cautioned that users might not fully understand the consequences of giving autonomous systems broad permissions.
For example, an AI agent authorised to make purchases could spend more than its user intended while attempting to complete an assigned task.
He also warned that advances in AI could lower the cost of carrying out fraudulent activities, making it easier for malicious actors to target technology companies and online platforms.
As these threats become more accessible, Chew stressed the importance of developing stronger security tools capable of protecting digital services against increasingly sophisticated attacks.
His remarks underscore the challenge facing the technology industry: harnessing AI to accelerate scientific progress while ensuring that powerful systems remain secure, reliable and aligned with human expectations.
