As computers that run AI get more sophisticated they will eventually find a cancer cure, said Arm’s Rene Haas. Photograph: Malcolm Park/AlamyView image in fullscreenAs computers that run AI get more sophisticated they will eventually find a cancer cure, said Arm’s Rene Haas. Photograph: Malcolm Park/AlamyAI will help find cure for cancer ‘within our lifetimes’, says Arm Holdings chiefRene Haas also claims artificial intelligence could pave way for widespread use of humanoid robots within five years Business live – latest updates The boss of one of the UK’s biggest chip companies has claimed AI will be able to find a cure for cancer “in our lifetime”.Rene Haas, chief executive of the chip designer Arm Holdings, said that, while modelling how a DNA marker is affected by cancer was currently “too complex” a problem for either humans or technology, computers were “going to solve it” in the future.Haas told the BBC: “AI is going to … find a cure for cancer that today you and I, other humans [could] not in our lifetimes. I believe in our lifetime, AI will help cure cancer.“Modelling how a DNA marker is impacted by cancer – it’s too complex a problem, not only for humans today, but the computers that run AI.“However, going forward, as we feed more and more of the models into these computers, and the computers get more sophisticated to run the models, they’re going to solve it.”Scientists are already using AI-driven tools in cancer research and testing. Earlier this year, the NHS said more than 4 million patients received faster lung diagnosis thanks to funding in AI-powered X-ray tools.Haas added that AI would also pave the way for widespread humanoid robots within the next five years, but that chip shortages were stunting growth in the area.“With artificial intelligence, these robots can see, learn, and essentially be reprogrammed for new tasks,” he said. “So, in the service industry, the robot that was programmed to make a bed can also learn how to arrange the towels in a room, or clean the dustbins, or whatever you want to go off and do.”Arm, which is listed in New York but retains its global headquarters in Cambridge, has about 500 users of its chip designs worldwide, including Apple, Samsung, Qualcomm and Nvidia. The company employs more than 7,000 staff, including about 3,000 in the UK. It is the biggest tech company headquartered in Britain – valued at $269bn (£199bn).skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionHaas, who joined Arm in 2013 and became chief executive in 2022, was also recently named chief executive of SoftBank’s international business. The Japanese bank is one of the biggest tech investors in the world, with a stake in ChatGPT maker OpenAI. Haas stepped down from the board of British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca in April,Earlier this year, Arm also proposed a pay scheme for Haas that could make him a billionaire if he hits targets to turn the chip designer into a trillion-dollar company.Explore more on these topicsArmAI (artificial intelligence)CancerMedical researchRobotsComputingHealthShareReuse this content