Microsoft's AI can now generate entirely new physical materials
Microsoft Research just published and open-sourced MatterGen, a generative diffusion model that designs novel physical materials directly from property prompts instead of screening databases. Working with SIAT researchers, the team successfully synthesized a completely new material (TaCr2O6) in the lab with under 20% error against specifications. Why it matters: It shifts material discovery from brute-force search to generative design for batteries and solar cells.