AI has designed functional viruses for the first time. 🧬🤖 Researchers at Stanford used AI genome models Evo 1 and Evo 2 to generate thousands of new bacteriophage designs. After synthesizing and testing nearly 300 candidates, researchers identified 16 synthetic bacteriophages capable of replicating inside bacterial cells and killing antibiotic-resistant E. coli. This could open new possibilities for phage therapy and help scientists design treatments that specifically target drug-resistant bacteria. But it also raises serious biosecurity questions. The researchers excluded viruses that infect humans, animals, and plants from the training data, but experts warn that AI-powered genome design is advancing faster than existing safeguards. AI can now help write biological code. Where should we draw the line? 🤔 Follow futurewalt.ai for more AI breakthroughs and updates. Source: Science / Stanford research #ai #biotechnology #science #biosecurity