AI creates new viruses not found in nature

US researchers have claimed to have developed new viruses with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) that did not previously exist in nature. The development is being described as an important breakthrough in the scientific community.

According to a study published in the scientific journal Science, researchers from Stanford University and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard used a naturally occurring phage as a basis and employed AI to generate thousands of genetic designs. A phage is a type of virus that infects bacteria.

The researchers chemically synthesized around 300 of these genetic designs and tested them in a laboratory. Of these, 16 viruses proved to be viable.

According to the study, a combination of the AI-designed viruses was more effective than naturally occurring viruses at eliminating E. coli bacteria.

The researchers said the approach expands the scope of synthetic genomics and could pave the way for more effective phage therapies against rapidly evolving pathogens.

However, experts have expressed concerns about potential biological security risks alongside the possible medical benefits of the development.

Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Toronto and Toronto General Hospital said AI-designed viruses could have certain benefits such as creating specialized bacteriophages that could help tackle antibiotic-resistant infections.

He warned that the same ability to design complete and functional viruses could pose a serious biological security threat if used to create harmful pathogens. Therefore, strong safety regulations, screening and monitoring are necessary alongside the technology.

Professor Fatima Wafai of the University of New South Wales in Sydney said the current research does not pose a direct threat to humans because phages infect only bacteria. However, she noted that the methods used in the research could potentially be misused for harmful purposes.

Tom Ellis, an expert in synthetic genome engineering at Imperial College London described the research as impressive but said it also demonstrates that AI is still far from being able to design complex genomes, cells and large viruses.

He explained that the phage genome used in the study is very small and relatively simple while the genome of the virus that causes COVID-19 is approximately six times larger. The complexity of designing larger genomes increases rapidly.

According to Ellis, the research does have implications for biological security. However, modifying naturally occurring viruses remains a more serious and immediate threat than creating new pathogens with AI.

Hsu Li Yang, director of the Asia Centre for Health Security in Singapore also said that it may be possible to use AI to make viruses more dangerous. However, he cautioned against exaggerating the implications of the research.

He clarified that the study does not mean that anyone with basic scientific or laboratory knowledge can now create life-saving or dangerous viruses at home. Considerable technical expertise is still required to physically produce a virus in a laboratory after it has been designed.

Experts say the research is both medically promising and concerning from a biological security perspective as it demonstrates a technology that could potentially be used for both beneficial and harmful purposes.