HEFEI, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) — At a lab of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), AI and automation have reworked conventional chemistry research from handbook trial-and-error to giving directions on clever platforms. In 2021, Professor Jiang Jun’s crew developed the first-generation robotic chemist “Xiao Lai,” enabling 24/7 operation and autonomous experiment design. The second-generation “Xiao Lin” now handles extra advanced duties, evolving from a labor substitute to a collaborative research associate. The crew’s final purpose is totally autonomous science, the place machines can uncover new research instructions and help even non-experts in materials creation.
Robotic chemist “Xiao Lai” conducts an experiment at a lab of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei, east China’s Anhui Province, Nov. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Du Yu)This photograph taken on Nov. 24, 2025 reveals robotic chemist “Xiao Lin” at a lab of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei, east China’s Anhui Province. (Xinhua/Du Yu)Robotic chemist “Xiao Lai” conducts an experiment at a lab of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei, east China’s Anhui Province, Nov. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Du Yu)Professor Zhu Zhuoying (R) talks with PhD candidate Guo Lulu in entrance of robotic chemist “Xiao Lin” at a lab of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei, east China’s Anhui Province, Nov. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Du Yu)
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