Scheduled Tasks

AI Scientist supports scheduling tasks to run at specific times or intervals, automating routine operations that would otherwise require manual attention. Three scheduling modes are available to match different use cases.

One-Time Tasks

Execute a specific operation at a scheduled time. Useful for:

• Running a long analysis overnight and having results ready in the morning
• Submitting a BLAST search during off-peak hours for faster processing
• Generating a report at a specific deadline

You specify the operation and the target time, and AI Scientist executes it automatically.

Recurring Tasks

Repeat an operation at fixed intervals. Common use cases include:

• BLAST polling — periodically re-run a BLAST search to check for newly deposited sequences matching your query
• Sync checks — verify that your local sequence library stays in sync with external databases
• Progress monitoring — regularly check the status of long-running processes or external submissions

You set the interval (e.g., every 6 hours, daily, weekly), and AI Scientist continues executing until you cancel or modify the task.

Cron Scheduled Tasks

For advanced scheduling needs, define tasks using Cron expressions for calendar-level control. This supports:

• Running tasks on specific days of the week (e.g., every Monday morning)
• Monthly reporting schedules
• Complex patterns that combine multiple timing conditions

Cron-based scheduling provides the same flexibility as standard Unix cron, adapted for research automation workflows.

Task Management

All scheduled tasks — one-time, recurring, and cron-based — are visible in your task dashboard, where you can:

• View upcoming and past executions
• Pause, resume, or cancel tasks
• Review results from completed executions
• Modify schedules or task parameters without recreating them