AI-Designed Proteins Expose Biosecurity Vulnerabilities in DNA Screening

Biothreat hunters catch dangerous DNA before it gets made

DNA-synthesis firms routinely use -biosecurity-screening software to ensure that they don't inadvertently create dangerous sequences. But a paper published in Science on 2 October describes a potential vulnerability in this workflow. It details how protein-design strategies aided by artificial

Do AI-designed proteins create a biosecurity vulnerability?

On Thursday, a team of researchers led by Microsoft announced that they had discovered, and possibly patched, what they're terming a biological zero-day -- an unrecognized security hole in a system that protects us from biological threats. The system at risk screens purchases of DNA sequences to

Made to order bioweapon? AI-designed toxins slip through safety checks used by companies selling genes

Microsoft bioengineer Bruce Wittmann normally uses artificial intelligence (AI) to design proteins that could help fight disease or grow food. But last year, he used AI tools like a would-be bioterrorist: creating digital blueprints for proteins that could mimic deadly poisons and toxins such as

Microsoft says AI can create "zero day" threats in biology

"The patch is incomplete, and the state of the art is changing. But this isn't a one-and-done thing. It's the start of even more testing," says Adam Clore, director of technology R&D at Integrated DNA Technologies, a large manufacturer of DNA, who is a coauthor on the Microsoft report. "We're in

Should we worry AI will create deadly bioweapons? Not yet, but one day

AI tools are being used to design proteins and even viruses, leading to fears these could eventually be used to evade bioweapon controls Artificial intelligence promises to transform biology, allowing us to design better drugs, vaccines and even synthetic organisms for, say, eating waste plastic.

AI-designed proteins test biosecurity safeguards

New fixes to monitoring software boosts its ability to catch AI-altered toxic proteins New patches to biosecurity screening software can make it harder to produce potentially harmful proteins using artificial intelligence. Around the world, this software monitors processes to artificially make

AI bioweapon risk laid bare by protein security screening flaw

Bioterrorism threats are rising because of advances in artificial intelligence and synthetic biology, scientists have warned, after researchers found a "striking vulnerability" in software that guards access to genetic material for making deadly proteins. An international team rolled out patches

AI can now be used to design brand-new viruses. Can we stop it from making the next devastating bioweapon?

As scientists design new viruses using AI, experts are investigating whether current biosecurity measures can hold up to this potential new threat. (Image credit: Andriy Onufriyenko via Getty Images) Scientists have used artificial intelligence (AI) to build brand-new viruses, opening the door to

How AI is making it easier to design new toxins without being detected

In October 2023, two scientists at Microsoft discovered a startling vulnerability in a safety net intended to prevent bad actors from using artificial intelligence tools to concoct hazardous proteins for warfare or terrorism. Those gaping security holes and how they were discovered were kept

AI designs for dangerous DNA can slip past biosecurity measures, study shows

Major biotech companies that churn out made-to-order DNA for scientists have protections in place to keep dangerous biological material out of the hands of would-be evil-doers. They screen their orders to catch anyone trying to buy, say, smallpox or anthrax genes. But now, a new study in the

Microsoft on AI in Biology: Understanding the risks of zero-day threats

Zero-day vulnerabilities show urgent need for stronger AI biosecurity safeguards When Microsoft's chief scientific officer Eric Horvitz and his team describe a "zero-day" in biology, they are deliberately borrowing a term from cybersecurity. A zero-day vulnerability refers to an unknown flaw in