At a lab of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), AI and automation have transformed traditional chemistry research from manual trial-and-error to giving instructions on intelligent platforms. In 2021, Professor Jiang Jun's team developed the first-generation robotic chemist "Xiao Lai," enabling 24/7 operation and autonomous experiment design. The second-generation "Xiao Lin" now handles more complex tasks, evolving from a labor substitute to a collaborative research partner. The team's ultimate goal is fully autonomous science, where machines can discover new research directions and assist even non-experts in material creation. (Xinhua)