Advancing genetic engineering with active learning: theory, implementations and potential opportunities

Employing machine learning (ML) models to accelerate experimentation and uncover biological mechanisms has been a rising tendency in genetic engineering. However, effectively collecting data to enhance model accuracy and improve design remains challenging, especially when data quality is poor and validation resources are limited. Active learning (AL) addresses this by iteratively identifying promising candidates, thereby reducing experimental efforts while improving model performance. This review highlights how AL can assist scientists throughout the design-build-test-learn cycle, explore its various practical implementations, and discuss its potential through the integration of cross-domain expertise. In the age of genetic engineering revolutionized by data-driven ML models, AL presents an iterative framework that significantly enhances the functionalities of biomolecules and uncovers their intrinsic mechanisms, all while minimizing expenses and efforts.