After nearly two decades of unsuccessful attempts to conceive, a couple is now expecting their first child, thanks to an artificial intelligence (AI) innovation known as the STAR method, CNN reported.
The couple, who wished to remain anonymous, had previously undergone multiple rounds of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) without success due to a rare condition called azoospermia, where the male partner produces no detectable sperm. Traditional microscopy and even surgical attempts failed to locate any viable sperm cells.
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Azoospermia affects about 10% of men with infertility issues and traditionally requires painful, invasive procedures to locate sperm directly from testicular tissue.
The couple, later, approached the Columbia University Fertility Center, where scientists used the STAR (Sperm Tracking and Recovery) system—an AI-powered tool designed to identify hidden sperm in men with azoospermia. With just a single semen sample, the STAR system found three viable sperm, which were used to fertilise eggs via IVF. The woman is now pregnant, and the baby is due this December.
“It took me two days to believe I was actually pregnant,” said the mother-to-be. “After so many disappointments, we kept our hopes low, and now we’re finally expecting.”
Developed over five years by Dr. Zev Williams and his team, the STAR system uses high-speed imaging and artificial intelligence to scan semen samples and identify sperm cells that are virtually invisible to the human eye. It captures over 8 million images in under an hour, accurately detecting and isolating viable sperm without harming them.
“It’s like finding a needle in a thousand haystacks—quickly, safely, and with stunning accuracy,” said Dr. Williams.
The success of the STAR system marks the first documented pregnancy resulting from AI-assisted sperm recovery in a patient with azoospermia. The cost of using the STAR method is estimated at under $3,000 and is currently available only at Columbia.
