Artificial Intelligence used to design brand new viruses
Scientists made 16 successful viruses that had their genetic code designed by artificial intelligence.
Scientists from Stanford University have utilized artificial intelligence (AI) to design brand new viruses capable of replicating in laboratory settings, marking the first instance of whole genomes being engineered by AI. The resulting 16 novel viruses were specifically created to target bacteria and are deemed harmless to humans.
This groundbreaking development has been hailed as a "very significant turning point" in science that could pave the way for innovative treatments in disease management. However, experts have also voiced notable concerns regarding the potential safety and security implications of AI-designed viruses. The technology, similar to large language models such as ChatGPT, relies on AI models known as Evo1 and Evo2 which predict genetic sequences.
These models were trained on data from various genetic codes and subsequently refined to generate bacteriophages – viruses targeting specific bacterial species. Out of 302 AI-generated designs, 16 proved effective at killing E. coli bacteria. The successful creation of these new viruses opens the door to synthetic biology, a field that could potentially revolutionize human health by developing novel drugs and therapies.
Nevertheless, the breakthrough also raises urgent biosafety and biosecurity issues, as highlighted by researchers who argue that the technology should not be used to design new diseases. To mitigate risks, the Stanford researchers implemented stringent safety measures, excluding viruses capable of infecting complex organisms and conducting their research within a secure laboratory environment.
Written by urgent.news from BBC World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
