Stanford Researchers Use AI to Design Viruses Not Found in Nature
Researchers synthesized 285 AI-designed genomes and found 16 viable viruses that infected and killed E. coli, raising biosafety questions.
- Stanford University researchers used artificial intelligence to design 16 fully functional, replicable bacteriophages, marking the first time generative AI has designed a complete, viable viral genome.
- The team trained AI models on genetic codes to predict DNA sequences, then synthesized 302 promising designs after modeling them on the X174 phage template.
- Of 285 outputs tested, 16 phages proved viable, with many demonstrating greater effectiveness at killing bacteria than the original template; these viruses pose no threat to humans.
- Experts Thomas Inglesby and Moritz Hanke from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security warned the findings raise "urgent biosafety and biosecurity questions," while Hie argued the potential to "massively improve human health" outweighs risks.
- This study represents a "very significant turning point" in synthetic biology, according to Prof Marc from Pompeu Fabra University, with researchers now exploring whether AI can design even more complex organisms.
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The study believes that such models can be a useful tool for medicine and biotechnology.
AI viruses: AI Evo designs complete genomes of functional viruses for the first time. Possible new phage therapies against resistant bacteria and researchers warn.
For the first time, researchers have created new viruses using artificial intelligence. The first goes to Stanford University in the US. The viruses were developed to infect bacteria and pose no threat to humans. "This is super revolutionary. This offers great opportunities, but also has dangerous aspects," notes virologist Marc Van Ranst.
AI Used to Create Virus: Scientists Warn of Biosecurity Threats, Biological Weapons and Pandemics Using Artificial Intelligence | 🔬 LatestLY
Scientists have used AI to design functional viruses from scratch, successfully targeting antibiotic-resistant bacteria. According to a Times of India report, the breakthrough highlights both medical potential and urgent regulatory gaps regarding the digital creation of biological agents. 🔬 AI Used to Create Virus: Scientists Warn of Biosecurity Threats, Biological Weapons and Pandemics Using Artificial Intelligence.
According to researchers, viruses are designed to infect bacteria and do not pose a danger to humans.
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