Stanford AI generates synthetic viruses, opening avenues for new antibiotics and biosecurity discussions

Researchers at Stanford University have utilized an AI model called Evo 2 to generate synthetic viruses that do not exist in nature. This pioneering work, which focused on creating bacteriophages (viruses that kill bacteria), holds significant promise for developing new antibiotics and reshaping drug discovery. However, it also sparks urgent discussions regarding potential biosecurity risks associated with biologically capable AI models.