OpenAI model creates 16 new functional viruses from scratch in Stanford breakthrough

Stanford University scientists have trained an OpenAI generative model named Evo to design fully functional viral genomes from scratch, with 16 AI-created viruses successfully infecting E. coli bacteria in laboratory tests, according to Forbes.

The model — trained on millions of DNA sequences — learned evolutionary patterns governing DNA structure and generated entirely novel viral genomes with sequence patterns distinct from anything found in nature.

While human pathogen datasets were excluded from training, making the created viruses incapable of infecting people, scientists acknowledged growing concerns that similar AI capabilities could eventually be exploited to engineer biological weapons. The technology could also revolutionise treatment of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.