US researchers have used AI to design 16 novel, fully functional viruses that successfully replicated in the lab, according to BBC News, marking what scientists described as the first time whole genomes have been designed by AI.
The Stanford team, led by assistant professor Brian Hie, used AI models called Evo1 and Evo2, trained on genetic sequences from viruses, bacteria, plants, and people, to design bacteriophages, viruses that infect only specific bacteria species and pose no threat to humans. Researchers synthesised 302 of the most promising AI-generated designs, of which 16 proved effective at killing E. coli.
Hie told the BBC the work represents new territory for generative AI, extending beyond simpler tasks like antibiotic design into designing something that can replicate and function inside cells. He said attempting simple AI-designed living organisms would probably be difficult but not impossible, and that the team is keen to pursue it.
The breakthrough has also raised safety concerns. In a commentary published alongside the research in the journal Science, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security researchers reportedly warned the findings raise urgent biosafety and biosecurity questions, arguing viruses with disease-causing potential should not be pursued. The Stanford team said it took precautions, including excluding viruses capable of infecting complex organisms from its training data and conducting the work in a secure lab on bacteria-only phages.
