Agent4S: The Transformation of Research Paradigms from the Perspective of Large Language Models

While AI for Science (AI4S) serves as an analytical tool in the current research paradigm, it doesn’t solve its core inefficiency. We propose “Agent for Science” (Agent4S)-the use of LLM-driven agents to automate the entire research workflow-as the true Fifth Scientific Paradigm. This paper introduces a five-level classification for Agent4S, outlining a clear roadmap from simple task automation to fully autonomous, collaborative “AI Scientists.” This framework defines the next revolutionary step in scientific discovery.