AI-designed viruses are a test of whether biosecurity can keep pace

Tuck Seng Wong and Kang Lan Tee (University of Sheffield) write in The Conversation that a study in which AI models designed complete bacteriophage genomes, some producing working viruses in the laboratory, shows safeguards must develop alongside the technology. They describe layers from model training-data restrictions and DNA-synthesis screening to laboratory oversight, research-funder policy and public-health surveillance, and note that the study does not show AI can design a pandemic virus.