The dawn of AI-designed viruses A step towards AI-generated life

For decades, artificial intelligence (AI) has been characterised as a tool capable of ‘thinking,’ ‘learning,’ and even ‘creating.’ Until recently, its innovation was limited to the digital domain—coding, creating art, or generating words.

- BUJU DHARMAPALAN

For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that AI can do a fundamentally distinct task: generate the blueprints of live beings.

Apioneering study conducted by aresearch team led by King SH from Stanford University has utilised AI to engineer novel viral genomes. They progressed beyond merely displaying the DNA code on a computer screen; their Al-generated directives were synthesised into actual viruses inthe laboratory. Bacteriophages, abbreviated as phages, have the ability to infect and eradicate drug-resistant microorganisms.

This accomplishment, disseminated in the Preprint at bioRxiv and currently undergoing peer review, exemplifies one of the most transformative applications of Alto date. It is being regarded asa progression towards what certain scientists prudently refer to as ‘Al-generated life.

Why viruses?

Initially, the concept of designing pathogens may appear to be alarming. However, the viruses that are the focus of this research are not those that infect humans. Bacteriophages are viruses that exclusively target microorganisms.

Phages are the most effective and ancient ‘bacteria killers’ innature. Each phageis designed to infect a specific species of bacteria, and occasionally, a specific strain. They inject their DNA into the bacterial cell, commandeer its machinery, and ultimately rupture it, resulting in the bacterium's death.

Inanerain which antibiotic resistance is one of the most significant public health concerns, phages are highly intriguing. The World Health Organisation cautions that we are on the brink of a ‘post-antibiotic era,’ in which routine infections could resurface as lethal because bacteria are nolonger susceptible to current medications. Phage therapy, which involves the use of meticulously — selected bacteriophages to treat infections, is currently being investigated as an alternative.