tech
AI Designs New Virus Not Found in Nature
It could lead to medical breakthroughs — or the nightmare scenario of pathogens that can't be stopped.
TL;DR
- Researchers used generative AI to design a synthetic virus capable of infecting and killing E. coli.
- This is the first time AI has been used to create an organism not found in nature.
- The technology could lead to medical breakthroughs or the creation of untraceable, deadly pathogens.
- Current regulations for high-risk research do not specifically address AI-driven genomic creation.
- Experts caution that the ability to compose viral genomes with AI now exists, but the governance to manage it safely does not.