Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Next-Generation Sequencing: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized genomics, offering unprecedented advancements in data analysis, accuracy, and scalability. This review explores the synergistic relationship between AI and NGS, highlighting its transformative im...

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Main Authors: Konstantina Athanasopoulou, Vasiliki-Ioanna Michalopoulou, Andreas Scorilas, Panagiotis G. Adamopoulos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Current Issues in Molecular Biology
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/47/6/470
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author Konstantina Athanasopoulou
Vasiliki-Ioanna Michalopoulou
Andreas Scorilas
Panagiotis G. Adamopoulos
author_facet Konstantina Athanasopoulou
Vasiliki-Ioanna Michalopoulou
Andreas Scorilas
Panagiotis G. Adamopoulos
author_sort Konstantina Athanasopoulou
collection DOAJ
description The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized genomics, offering unprecedented advancements in data analysis, accuracy, and scalability. This review explores the synergistic relationship between AI and NGS, highlighting its transformative impact across genomic research and clinical applications. AI-driven tools, including machine learning and deep learning, enhance every aspect of NGS workflows—from experimental design and wet-lab automation to bioinformatics analysis of the generated raw data. Key applications of AI integration in NGS include variant calling, epigenomic profiling, transcriptomics, and single-cell sequencing, where AI models such as CNNs, RNNs, and hybrid architectures outperform traditional methods. In cancer research, AI enables precise tumor subtyping, biomarker discovery, and personalized therapy prediction, while in drug discovery, it accelerates target identification and repurposing. Despite these advancements, challenges persist, including data heterogeneity, model interpretability, and ethical concerns. This review also discusses the emerging role of AI in third-generation sequencing (TGS), addressing long-read-specific challenges, like fast and accurate basecalling, as well as epigenetic modification detection. Future directions should focus on implementing federated learning to address data privacy, advancing interpretable AI to improve clinical trust and developing unified frameworks for seamless integration of multi-modal omics data. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, AI promises to unlock new frontiers in precision medicine, making genomic insights more actionable and scalable.
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spelling doaj-art-bfcee7272000411ca98aca34ac10de7f2025-08-20T03:26:16ZengMDPI AGCurrent Issues in Molecular Biology1467-30371467-30452025-06-0147647010.3390/cimb47060470Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Next-Generation Sequencing: Advances, Challenges, and Future DirectionsKonstantina Athanasopoulou0Vasiliki-Ioanna Michalopoulou1Andreas Scorilas2Panagiotis G. Adamopoulos3Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15701 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15701 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15701 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15701 Athens, GreeceThe integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized genomics, offering unprecedented advancements in data analysis, accuracy, and scalability. This review explores the synergistic relationship between AI and NGS, highlighting its transformative impact across genomic research and clinical applications. AI-driven tools, including machine learning and deep learning, enhance every aspect of NGS workflows—from experimental design and wet-lab automation to bioinformatics analysis of the generated raw data. Key applications of AI integration in NGS include variant calling, epigenomic profiling, transcriptomics, and single-cell sequencing, where AI models such as CNNs, RNNs, and hybrid architectures outperform traditional methods. In cancer research, AI enables precise tumor subtyping, biomarker discovery, and personalized therapy prediction, while in drug discovery, it accelerates target identification and repurposing. Despite these advancements, challenges persist, including data heterogeneity, model interpretability, and ethical concerns. This review also discusses the emerging role of AI in third-generation sequencing (TGS), addressing long-read-specific challenges, like fast and accurate basecalling, as well as epigenetic modification detection. Future directions should focus on implementing federated learning to address data privacy, advancing interpretable AI to improve clinical trust and developing unified frameworks for seamless integration of multi-modal omics data. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, AI promises to unlock new frontiers in precision medicine, making genomic insights more actionable and scalable.https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/47/6/470NGSAImachine learningdeep learninggenomicstranscriptomics
spellingShingle Konstantina Athanasopoulou
Vasiliki-Ioanna Michalopoulou
Andreas Scorilas
Panagiotis G. Adamopoulos
Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Next-Generation Sequencing: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions
Current Issues in Molecular Biology
NGS
AI
machine learning
deep learning
genomics
transcriptomics
title Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Next-Generation Sequencing: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions
title_full Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Next-Generation Sequencing: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions
title_fullStr Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Next-Generation Sequencing: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions
title_full_unstemmed Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Next-Generation Sequencing: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions
title_short Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Next-Generation Sequencing: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions
title_sort integrating artificial intelligence in next generation sequencing advances challenges and future directions
topic NGS
AI
machine learning
deep learning
genomics
transcriptomics
url https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/47/6/470
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AT vasilikiioannamichalopoulou integratingartificialintelligenceinnextgenerationsequencingadvanceschallengesandfuturedirections
AT andreasscorilas integratingartificialintelligenceinnextgenerationsequencingadvanceschallengesandfuturedirections
AT panagiotisgadamopoulos integratingartificialintelligenceinnextgenerationsequencingadvanceschallengesandfuturedirections