AI's Potential to Design Deadly Biological Weapons

Scientists have used AI to design viruses from scratch and to modify toxins to bypass safety checks, raising concerns about the potential for AI-assisted bioweapons. While these advances can aid in medical treatments like phage therapy, they also pose dual-use risks, prompting efforts to strengthen screening protocols, regulatory policies, and international standards to prevent misuse. Despite technological progress, significant challenges remain before AI-designed pathogens could become a real threat, emphasizing the need for robust biosecurity measures.