Exclusive | ‘AI babies’ are being conceived in ‘previously impossible’ ways — all about the new IVF tech

Nypost · May 13, 2026 · 1774 words · By Anna Medaris

AI Ethics and Automation Human Interest/Emotional Narrative Medical Innovation

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‘AI babies’ are being conceived in ‘previously impossible’ ways — all about the new IVF tech After 12 years of dating and one year of marriage, high-school sweethearts Samuel and Penelope started trying to conceive.

Claims checked 14

Techniques found 3

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center80%

Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

Both grew up in tight-knit families, and had long dreamed of having biological children together.

Common ground

But when a year passed without a positive pregnancy test, the couple — who asked to use pseudonyms because they haven’t even told some relatives about their fertility experience — asked doctors what was going on.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Exaggeration / Hyperbole, Glittering Generalities: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this AI Ethics and Automation story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that When Penelope and Samuel first learned about STAR shortly after it came out in 2025?
How does this story connect AI Ethics and Automation with Human Interest/Emotional Narrative over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/13/health/inside-the-new-ivf-tech-giving-rise-to-ai-b…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Exaggeration / Hyperbole 70% confidence

Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Glittering Generalities 60% confidence

Using vague, emotionally appealing phrases ('freedom', 'justice') without specifics.

Why it matters: Recognizing glittering generalities helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 14 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 5

schedule Pending 4

help Insufficient Evidence 2

info Single Source 1

cancel Disputed 1

verified Verified By Reference 1

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Claim 1: “When Penelope and Samuel first learned about STAR shortly after it came out in 2025”

CORROBORATED

A source explicitly mentions the STAR system as one of TIME Magazine's best inventions of 2025, and another mentions the first baby born using the system in late 2025.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — October 22, 2025. The star Proxima Centauri is the closest star to our sun, at 4.2 light-years away. It’s one of 3 stars in the Alpha Centauri system. Watch this video for more information.
https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/proxima-centauri-o…

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web search NEUTRAL — In anticipation of his upcoming 2025 One Assassination Under God Tour, iconic rock legend MARILYN MANSON has revealed a cover of luminary musician Phil Colli...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmJsk0_Gt5E

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web search NEUTRAL — Live news, investigations, opinion, photos and video by the journalists of The New York Times from more than 150 countries around the world. Subscribe for coverage of U.S. and international news, poli…
https://www.nytimes.com/

schedule

Claim 2: “According to a survey by the media platform Pregnantish... just 18% of respondents were “comfortable” or “extremely comfortable” with the idea of using AI to help with embryo selection.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 3: “Columbia University Fertility Center’s AI-powered Sperm Tracking and Recovery system, which identifies and isolates rare sperm that conventional methods miss”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources confirm that the Columbia University Fertility Center developed the Sperm Tracking and Recovery (STAR) system using AI and imaging to recover rare sperm.

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web search NEUTRAL — Inspired by techniques that astrophysicists use to find new galaxies, Columbia Fertility is using AI and advanced imaging to recover rare sperm cells from infertile men and help them become fathers.
https://www.columbiadoctors.org/news/columbia-fertility-look…

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web search NEUTRAL — A team of Columbia researchers has developed one of TIME Magazine's best inventions of 2025: an innovative AI-imaging advancement that addresses male infertility. The Sperm Tracking and Recovery syste…
https://www.columbiaspectator.com/news/2025/10/26/this-ai-im…

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web search NEUTRAL — The Columbia University Fertility Center is using advanced imaging, AI, robotics, and microfluidics to recover rare sperm cells in men with no detectable sperm in their ejaculate.
https://www.vagelos.columbia.edu/about-us/columbia-medicine-…

info

Claim 4: “STAR works by using high-powered imaging technology to scan through sperm samples and take over 8 million images in under an hour.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the STAR system's existence is corroborated, only one specific source (CNN) mentions the 'one hour' timeframe and the ability to find sperm where technicians failed; other sources mention AI imaging generally but not the specific '8 million images' metric.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Human sperm under a microscopeHuman semen diluted 1 to 50 with saline solutionObserved at 40x, 100x and 400x using a light microscopeDark field microscopyBri...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvnEsOaKxuw

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web search NEUTRAL — Finally, the Image Of Sperm had an idea. He gathered all the sperm he could find and formed a giant sperm tower. They stacked themselves on top of each other until they reached the top of the wall.
https://kdv.pages.dev/uncovering-the-secrets-of-sperm-visual…

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web search NEUTRAL — “A patient provided a sample, and highly skilled technicians looked for two days through that sample to try to find sperm. They didn’t find any. We brought it to the AI-based STAR System. In one hour,…
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/03/health/ai-male-infertilit…

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Claim 5: “one study found OvaReady identified extra eggs in more than 50% of cases — eggs that otherwise would have been thrown out.”

CORROBORATED

Two separate sources confirm that OvaReady identified extra eggs in more than half (50%) of cases.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The OvaReady device identified four additional eggs in the woman’s follicular fluid, three of which developed into embryos. Intriguingly, these three included the highest quality embryos from that cyc…
https://moviesgrave.in/revolutionary-tech-uncovers-hidden-eg…

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web search NEUTRAL — Eggs are known to be a source of key nutrients that support brain health, according to Joan Sabaté, a professor at Loma Linda University School of Public Health and the study’s principal investigator.…
https://www.psypost.org/eating-at-least-five-eggs-a-week-is-…

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web search NEUTRAL — …but other studies have found that eggs are associated with a lower risk of heart disease (Credit: Getty Images). Are eggs helpful to our health… or a cause of heart disease? The BBC examines the evid…
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190916-are-eggs-good-fo…

schedule

Claim 6: “Some research shows that this kind of monitoring [AI-powered time-lapse incubators] can boost pregnancy rates by 11%”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 7: “Another system, OvaReady by the company AutoIVF, says it uses an automated system to find and isolate eggs from a woman’s follicular fluid during IVF.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm AutoIVF's OvaReady system uses an automated microfluidics-based approach to isolate eggs from follicular fluid.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The new technology found extra eggs more than half the time. A viable egg found by the OvaReady device that was not found using the conventional method.Credit...Cassandra Klos for The New York Times.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/health/ivf-hidden-eggs-de…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Schematic of the FIND-Chip microfluidic device used in OvaReady for IVF oocyte recovery. Unlike optical methods, FIND-Chip uses deterministic size-based filtration and fluid dynamics, agnostic to visi…
https://www.academicjobs.com/research-publication-news/ivf-e…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The study evaluated follicular fluid samples from 582 patients across four accredited in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics and examined the performance of an automated, microfluidics-based approach to…
https://www.biospace.com/press-releases/autoivf-publishes-pe…

help

Claim 8: “As of the study’s February publication, one baby conceived from an egg identified by OvaReady was born.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding a baby born from an egg identified by OvaReady as of February.

help

Claim 9: “In Mexico, the startup Conceivable Life Sciences says it’s doing just that... Its AI system called Aura does everything from scanning and selecting the egg and sperm to robotically fertilizing the former with the latter.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding Conceivable Life Sciences or the Aura AI system in Mexico.

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Claim 10: “Just about 55% of IVF cycles in women under 35 result in pregnancy on the first try.”

DISPUTED

The claim states a 55% success rate for women under 35 on the first try, but a web search result specifically states the national success rate for first-time attempts for women under 35 is around 30% to 40%.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Well, when it comes to in vitro fertilization (IVF, a form of assisted reproductive technology in which doctors combine egg and sperm in a lab dish before transferring the embryo to the uterus), the s…
https://www.self.com/story/failed-ivf-cycles

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web search NEUTRAL — The first IVF cycle is a big deal for many. While some get pregnant right away, it’s not always the case. Nationally, the success rate for first-time attempts is around 30% to 40% for women under 35.
https://int.livhospital.com/how-many-ivf-cycles-do-you-need-…

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web search NEUTRAL — How Many IVF Cycles Will I Need to Get Pregnant? When you embark on the infertility journey and decide to start fertility treatments, it’s hard to know what the future holds. Will you get pregnant on …
https://winfertility.com/blog/paying-single-ivf-cycles-vs-mu…

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Claim 11: “The first baby born to a dad with the diagnosis [azoospermia] using STAR was born in December.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the first baby was born using the STAR system for a father with azoospermia, with one source specifying 'late 2025'.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In late 2025, after five years of study, the first baby was born using the Star System - to a couple who had struggled with infertility for almost two decades. It's a moment that Zev Williams, directo…
https://en.vijesti.me/bbc/808341/Hidden-sperm-hope-for-men-w…

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web search NEUTRAL — AI Cracks Azoospermia: First Pregnancy Using STAR Technology Reported.Azoospermia: The Invisible Barrier. Azoospermia is a condition where no sperm is detected in a man’s semen, even though it may app…
https://goivf.in/news/ai-cracks-azoospermia-first-pregnancy-…

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web search NEUTRAL — Azoospermia is the medical term used when a man’s semen sample shows no measurable sperm. It affects about one percent of all men and around ten to fifteen percent of men dealing with infertility. The…
https://shanviivf.com/blog/can-men-with-azoospermia-become-f…

verified

Claim 12: “Samuel was diagnosed with Klinefelter syndrome, a common genetic condition in which male babies are born with an extra copy of the X chromosome.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia and the NHS both confirm that Klinefelter syndrome is a genetic condition where males are born with an extra X chromosome.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Klinefelter syndrome (KS), also known as 47,XXY, is a chromosome anomaly. Subjects affected by the condition are almost always phenotypically male (except for SRY-negative individuals), with common co…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klinefelter_syndrome

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web search NEUTRAL — Read about Klinefelter syndrome - a condition in which male babies are born with an extra X chromosome. Find out about the symptoms, causes and treatments.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/klinefelters-syndrome/

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web search NEUTRAL — Klinefelter syndrome is a genetic condition affecting males, characterised by the presence of an extra X chromosome. Learn about its features and diagnosis.
https://www.singhealth.com.sg/symptoms-treatments/klinefelte…

schedule

Claim 13: “Twenty-eight percent said they weren’t comfortable, and another 28% said they weren’t sure how AI could help.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 14: “Twenty Aura babies had been born by October 2025, the Washington Post reported.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.