Kevin Weil

VP, OpenAI for Science, Openai

Search every verified Kevin Weil interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Kevin Weil, then-VP of OpenAI for Science, discussed the company's efforts to hire practicing mathematicians, physicists, and biologists to develop frontier AI models. He described the models as "incredible," noting that they have progressed from achieving a 700 on the math SAT three years ago to "regularly solving open problems in math and physics and other scientific fields." Weil stated that OpenAI's mission is "not to win a Nobel Prize ourselves" but "to see a 100 scientists win a 100 Nobel prizes using our technology." He characterized AI as a "metal detector for hypothesis," saying it has read "substantially every paper across every field of science" and can generate more ideas than scientists can experiment with. Weil discussed OpenAI's role in the Department of Energy's Genesis Mission, calling it "one of the most exciting projects happening right now." He said the mission has a "huge amount of scientific data that is currently mostly unused" and that teaching AI models that science could "confer advantage on the US." He expressed particular interest in fusion energy, where AI could "iterate far faster on parameters using simulations and real experiments." Weil also addressed barriers to adoption, including the cost of compute, stating that scientists who could "do the most amazing things" with it often have "the least ability to pay." He acknowledged concerns about AI-generated "slop" in scientific publishing, comparing it to email spam and suggesting AI would ultimately be used to filter it out, while noting that "peer review will still be a thing."