Revolutionary AI Fertility Technology Enables Couple to Conception After 18-Year Journey

Columbia University Fertility Center has developed an innovative AI technology called Sperm Tracking and Recovery (STAR) that identifies viable sperm cells in men with azoospermia, a condition characterized by minimal or no sperm production. Traditional methods struggle to isolate these rare sperm amid debris, but STAR employs high-powered imaging and a microfluidic chip that processes over 8 million images in under an hour. This advanced system isolates and retrieves viable sperm cells seamlessly, without damaging the sample. In March 2025, the first successful embryo transfer using sperm retrieved by STAR resulted in pregnancy for a woman identified as Rosie, who had been trying to conceive for 18 years. Dr. Zev Williams, director of the center, emphasizes the transformative impact of STAR, which offers hope to men previously deemed incapable of biological fatherhood, marking a significant milestone in reproductive technology and AI’s role in fertility.

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