US researchers have claimed to have created new viruses that did not exist naturally with the help of artificial intelligence (AI), in what is being hailed as a major breakthrough in the scientific world.
According to research published in the scientific journal Science, researchers at Stanford University and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard have used artificial intelligence to create thousands of genetic constructs based on a naturally occurring phage, a type of virus that infects bacteria.
The researchers chemically engineered about 300 of these genetic constructs and tested them in the laboratory, of which 16 were found to be viable viruses.
According to research, a mixture of synthetic viruses was more effective in killing E. coli bacteria than naturally occurring viruses.
The researchers say the method expands the scope of synthetic genomics and could pave the way for developing more effective phage therapy against rapidly mutating bacteria.
However, experts have expressed concern over the medical benefits of this development as well as potential biosecurity risks.
Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Toronto and Toronto General Hospital, said AI-engineered viruses could have some advantages, such as creating specific bacterial phages that can help fight antibiotic-resistant infections.
He warned that this ability to design complete and functional viruses could pose a serious threat to biosecurity if used for harmful bacteria, so the technology must be accompanied by strong safety regulations, screening and monitoring.
Professor Fatima Wafai of Sydney’s University of New South Wales said the current research poses no direct threat to humans because phages only infect bacteria, but the methods used could be used for harmful purposes.
Tom Ellis, an expert in artificial genome engineering at Imperial College London, called the research impressive, saying the progress also shows that artificial intelligence is still a long way from engineering complex genomes, cells and large viruses.
The phage genome used in the research is very small and relatively simple, while the genome of the covid virus is about 6 times larger and the complexity of designing larger genomes increases exponentially, he said.
According to Ellis, the research certainly has implications for biosecurity, but altering naturally occurring viruses is a more serious and immediate threat than creating new germs with artificial intelligence.
Hsu Lee Yang, director of the Asia Center for Health Security in Singapore, has also said that it may be possible to use artificial intelligence to make viruses more lethal, but the impact of the research should not be overstated.
He clarified that this research does not mean that anyone can now create life-saving or dangerous viruses at home with little scientific or laboratory knowledge, because after design practical production of viruses in the laboratory still requires considerable complexity.
According to experts, the research is both medically promising and a biosecurity concern, as it is an example of a technology that can be used for both beneficial and harmful purposes.