Roundtables: A Conversation With the Creator of AI-Designed Viruses
MIT Technology Review is hosting a roundtable discussion with bioengineering PhD candidate Samuel King regarding his use of generative AI to propose genetic blueprints for viruses. The event explores the intersection of AI and synthetic biology, questioning the potential for AI to design new life forms.
Why it matters
The intersection of AI and synthetic biology presents significant dual-use risks and ethical concerns regarding the creation of biological agents.
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Can AI design new life forms? In 2025, Stanford University PhD student Samuel King came up with a preliminary answer when he used a generative AI model to propose genetic blueprints for microscopic viruses. It isn’t yet an example of AI-generated life, but that could be next. Join senior AI reporter James O'Donnell as he interviews King about his work, being named one of MIT Technology Review's Innovators Under 35 and new ways of seeing biology.
Going live on October 16th at 18:30 BST / 1:30pm EDT / 10:30am PDT
Speakers : James O'Donnell , AI Reporter, and Samuel King , Bioengineering PhD Candidate, Stanford University/Arc Institute
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