AI Enables First Pregnancy After 19 Years Male Infertility at Columbia University

A couple struggling with male infertility for 19 years achieved pregnancy through a groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) system called Sperm Tracking and Recovery (STAR), developed by Columbia University researchers. The man suffered from non-obstructive azoospermia, a condition with extremely rare sperm in semen, making traditional detection and extraction methods ineffective. The STAR system scanned millions of microscopic images to detect seven sperm, two of which were viable, a feat impossible through manual examination. These sperm were used to fertilize eggs, resulting in embryos and ultimately a confirmed pregnancy, marking the first clinical pregnancy reported using AI-guided sperm recovery. This innovation offers new hope for men with severe infertility, bypassing invasive procedures and improving the chances of biological parenthood. The success was published in The Lancet and highlights the potential of AI and robotics in revolutionizing fertility treatments.