So I guess we need to get to the point where you give an AI a prompt without a known answer, and instead of confidently spewing bullshit, it can propose a research study, get it funded, find subjects, and complete the study.

Of course, there are easy forms of "science." I just asked it "Is it cloudy in Dallas?" It answered:

It can be cloudy in Dallas. The city experiences both sunny and cloudy days throughout the year.

That is true, but not an answer. It is cloudy and I can conduct the very simple experiment of looking at the sky to get that answer.