AI Just Made a Baby - Seriously?

The first baby in the world has been born through conception using a fully automated, digitally controlled intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) system. ICSI, which became widely used in the 1990s and is now a standard technique in assisted reproduction, involves fertilizing an egg by injecting a single sperm directly into its center (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
A digitally controlled, remotely operated ICSI system: case report of the first live birth

Go to source). The details are reported in the peer-reviewed medical journal Reproductive Biomedicine Online. The automated system was described and developed by a multidisciplinary team of specialists from Conceivable Life Sciences in New York and Guadalajara, Mexico, led by embryologist Dr. Jacques Cohen, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Alejandro Chavez-Badiola, and Lead Engineer Professor Gerardo Mendizabal-Ruiz. Treatment was provided under review board oversight at Hope IVF Mexico as part of a pilot investigation into various processes of automation in the fertility laboratory.

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Automating the ICSI Procedure

The system was designed as a workstation to automate each of the 23 steps involved in the standard ICSI procedure. These steps can be executed independently, either under artificial intelligence (AI) control or through the digital control of a remote operator. Currently, all ICSI procedures worldwide are carried out manually by skilled embryologists using microinjection systems. However, research has shown that performance can vary significantly between different embryologists.

Dr. Cohen notes that automating the ICSI process offers a transformative solution, aiming to enhance precision, boost efficiency, and ensure consistent results by reducing variability and alleviating work-related stress on human operators. He further explains that this automation could not only standardize the process but also improve egg survival rates and optimize the timing of the injection. AI has already made substantial progress in IVF laboratories, especially in sperm and egg selection. In this new system, AI is used to position the sperm cell in the injection pipette and guide the microinjection process within the egg.

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AI-Driven Precision in Reproductive Technology

With AI," explained Professor Mendizabal-Ruiz, "the system autonomously selects sperm and precisely immobilizes its midsection with a laser, preparing it for injection. This process is executed rapidly and with a level of accuracy that surpasses human capability."

The successful birth occurred in a 40-year-old woman who sought treatment with donor eggs at Hope IVF Mexico in Guadalajara, following a previous unsuccessful IVF attempt that produced only one mature egg and no embryos. In the study cycle, five eggs were fertilized using automated ICSI, while three served as controls, fertilized with the standard manual ICSI method.

The automated system was set up on-site, but after that, remote operators from both the Guadalajara clinic and New York issued commands through a digital interface to carry out each of the 23 microinjection steps for each egg, totaling 115 steps.

Overall, the entire procedure took an average of 9 minutes and 56 seconds per egg, slightly longer than routine manual ICSI due to its experimental nature. However, Professor Mendizabal-Ruiz noted, "We expect to significantly reduce procedure time in the future."

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Breakthrough Confirmed by a Healthy Birth

Four of the five eggs injected with the automated system achieved normal fertilization, as did all three eggs in the manual control group. One high-quality embryo, which developed to the blastocyst stage during culture, was fertilized using the automated system under remote control from New York, 3,700 km away. After the vitrified/thawed blastocyst was transferred in a subsequent cycle, a pregnancy was successfully established, leading to the delivery of a healthy male baby.

Dr. Chavez-Badiola explains that the ICSI system outlined in this report represents a significant advancement over previous ICSI technologies by fully automating each step of the microinjection process, with the added capability of sperm handling and selection through AI.

Future of Automation in IVF Laboratories

Now, he adds, the system's broader applicability in treatment will depend on its safe performance in a study with more cases. However, he points out that the progress made so far, validated by a healthy live birth, represents a significant step toward full automation in the IVF laboratory. Automation has already been integrated into practices like embryo culture, where incubators use time-lapse imaging to visualize embryos. AI is employed to monitor development and predict outcomes. Automation is also being applied in the cryo-storage of eggs, sperm, and embryos, as well as in sperm assessment and preparation procedures.

The successful birth resulting from fully automated ICSI marks a ground-breaking milestone in reproductive medicine, showcasing the potential of AI and digital technology to revolutionize fertility treatments. As automation continues to evolve in IVF laboratories, this innovation paves the way for more precise, efficient, and accessible assisted reproduction on a global scale.

Reference:

1. A digitally controlled, remotely operated ICSI system: case report of the first live birth - (https://www.rbmojournal.com/article/S1472-6483(25)00150-6/fulltext)

Source-Medindia