Prediabetes is an extremely heterogeneous metabolic disorder. Scientists from several partner institutes of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD)* have now used artificial intelligence (AI) to identify epigenetic markers that indicate an elevated risk of complications. A simple blood test could be sufficient to identify individuals at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and its complications at an early stage. The study shows how data-driven approaches and molecular medicine interact in the diagnostic process.