AI helps U.S. couple conceive after 18 years

A U.S. couple struggling with infertility for 18 years due to the husband’s azoospermia has successfully conceived with the help of artificial intelligence, according to American media reports. The breakthrough came as AI detected an extremely small number of sperm cells that had previously been undetectable by medical professionals.

CNN and other outlets reported on July 3 that the couple became pregnant in March after undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) using the AI-based “Sperm Tracking and Recovery” (STAR) technology developed by the Center for Infertility at Columbia University in New York.

The couple, whose identities have not been disclosed, had visited infertility clinics around the world and attempted IVF 15 times without success. Azoospermia, a condition in which there are virtually no sperm in the semen, made it nearly impossible to conceive. While a typical semen sample contains hundreds of millions of sperm, those from azoospermic men may contain only two or three, too few for even trained specialists to detect under a microscope, even after hours of observation. Sperm are the smallest cells in the human body.

AI changed the game. Using the STAR system, Columbia’s infertility center detected hidden sperm in the husband's semen. The system employs a specially designed chip to filter semen and an AI algorithm trained over five years to identify sperm cells. As semen flows through the chip, the AI, connected to a microscope and high-speed camera, captures over eight million images per hour and analyzes them in real time. When the AI identifies what appears to be a sperm cell, it isolates it into a connected microchannel.

The small number of sperm separated through this process can then be stored, frozen, or used for artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization. In this case, three sperm cells identified by the AI were used for fertilization, and the wife became pregnant. The baby is due in December.

The technology was inspired by methods used in astrophysics, where AI helps detect new stars and planets. Dr. Zev Williams, head of Columbia’s infertility center and lead developer of the technology, told CNN, “Even skilled technicians couldn’t find a single sperm cell after two days of searching, but the AI found 44 in just one hour. This is truly a game changer.” The research team plans to share their findings with other infertility clinics.

However, experts caution that further validation is needed, as this is the first known successful case using the technology. Robert Brannigan, president-elect of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, told the Washington Post, “It appears promising, but we need to track the data and conduct more research. Additional testing is needed to see if other clinics can replicate the results.”

There are also concerns that rushing to apply AI to reproductive medicine could give patients false hope. Dr. Gianpiero Palermo, an infertility expert at Weill Cornell Medical College, warned, “Some men may have no sperm at all, regardless of whether a human or a machine does the search.” He emphasized that AI is not a cure-all for infertility.


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