Inside the Autonomous Lab: Where AI and Robotics Meet

Inside the Autonomous Lab: Where AI and Robotics Meet

Inside the Autonomous Lab: Where AI and Robotics Meet

https://www.technologynetworks.com/tn/blog/inside-the-autonomous-lab-where-robotics-and-ai-converge-410993

Publish Date: 2026-03-24 07:51:00

Source Domain: www.technologynetworks.com

Advances in laboratory automation and AI are reshaping the way scientific research is carried out, reducing bottlenecks, and enabling scientists to focus on discovery rather than routine manual work. To explore how these technologies are changing the modern lab, we spoke with James Atwood, CEO of Opentrons, a company known for making accessible, modular robotics that help labs automate complex workflows.

In this interview, Atwood discusses the tasks most ripe for automation today, what “autonomous science” might look like, and the practical steps labs can take to become more AI‑ and automation‑ready.




Kate Robinson (KR):

Science Editor

Technology Networks

Kate Robinson is a science editor at Technology Networks. She joined the team in 2021 after obtaining a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences.




Which day-to-day activities drain the most productivity in labs, and which of those are most automation-ready right now?






James Atwood, PhD (JA):

A greyscale headshot of James Atwood

Chief Executive Officer



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