AI is finding sperm where doctors couldn’t
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Sperm samples seen through STAR (Sperm Tracking and Recovery) technology at Columbia University Fertility Center in New York on Aug 7.
PHOTO: ELIAS WILLIAMS/NYTIMES
Andrew Zaleski
- The STAR system uses AI and microfluidics to find hidden sperm in men previously diagnosed with zero or very low sperm count, improving chances of fatherhood.
- Since its rollout in 2025, STAR has recovered sperm in 26% of cases, enabling IVF and successful pregnancies from very few sperm cells.
- While lab-grown sperm research shows promise for men with no sperm, STAR currently offers hope by detecting rare sperm, with plans to expand its use beyond Columbia University.
AI generated
NEW YORK – The hardest part of Zev Williams’ job as a fertility physician is telling a man: “You’re not going to be a father.”
Male infertility contributes to up to 40 per cent of all infertility cases worldwide. While a typical semen sample contains hundreds of millions of sperm, men with azoospermia, which affects about 10 per cent of all infertile men, have zero or very few sperm in a sample.
