# TikTok CEO Says AI Could Drive Scientific Breakthroughs Within Three Years

By Simon Yoon

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/technology/30034
Published: 2026-10-12T04:36:53.000Z
Updated: 2026-10-12T04:36:53.000Z
Section: Technology

> Shou Zi Chew pointed to physics, biotechnology, chemistry and materials science while warning that autonomous AI systems may create new cybersecurity risks.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said artificial intelligence could drive major scientific breakthroughs within the next two to three years, potentially accelerating research across several fields.

“It’s very, very, very possible,” Chew said Monday at the DBS Asia Future Forward Conference in Singapore, referring to advances in physics, biotechnology, chemistry and materials science.

Chew said AI’s progress in scientific research is moving along a steep curve. He added that the technology’s short-term effects may be overstated while its longer-term capabilities remain underestimated.

ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is expanding its AI research beyond consumer applications. Its Seed research team unveiled Protenix-v2 in April, an AI model designed to predict and help design biomolecular structures, with potential applications in drug discovery.

ByteDance is also exploring collaborations with scientists. Scientific AI is drawing increased attention from governments and technology companies.

Chew also warned that increasingly autonomous AI systems could create cybersecurity and safety risks. Users may give AI agents broad permissions without understanding the consequences, including allowing them to make purchases on their behalf.

More sophisticated AI models could also reduce the cost of fraudulent activity, increasing the need for tools that protect platforms from new security threats.