AI-created viruses raise concerns: 'It's urgent'

A research team has achieved a significant breakthrough by successfully creating novel, functional viruses using artificial intelligence. Scientists at Stanford University and the Arc Institute utilized an AI model named Evo, which was trained on the genetic blueprints of millions of organisms, similar to how language models are trained on vast amounts of text.

This marks the first time functional viruses have been designed entirely from scratch using AI. The study, published in the scientific journal Science, demonstrates the AI's capability to generate complex biological entities. Researchers believe this advancement holds potential for developing new strategies to combat antibiotic resistance, a growing global health threat.

However, the development has also raised concerns. A Swedish professor specializing in the field has cautioned that the leap from creating these AI-designed viruses to developing pathogens dangerous to humans is "not far at all." This highlights the dual-use nature of advanced AI technology, where powerful tools can be used for beneficial purposes or pose significant risks if misused.

“

not far at all