Drug-defying superbugs are often portrayed as flesh-eating monsters in films and science fiction, but the real-world fight against resistant bacteria is evolving fast thanks to developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

In October, the World Health Organization warned antibiotic resistance increased by up to 15 per cent annually between 2018 and 2023 against antibiotics monitored in a study. In 2023, one in six common bacterial infections in people worldwide resisted antibiotic treatments, the WHO said. For example, salmonella drug resistance “is a growing concern”, mostly because of antibiotics used in animals. Antibiotic-resistant infections can be fatal in 15 to 20 per cent of cases, and at an even higher rate for people living with HIV, the WHO said.

Concerns about antimicrobial resistance have been around for decades, but problems mounted during the Covid-19 pandemic. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says antibiotic-resistant infections in hospitals jumped 20 per cent during the pandemic as coronavirus strained hospitals. Notably, these infections remained high as the pandemic eased. In 2022, the rates of almost all infections remained above pre-pandemic levels.