"The debate comes as the Trump administration pushes an aggressive "move fast" AI agenda. The White House's Genesis Mission - announced in late 2025 - aims to build AI systems trained on massive scientific datasets to speed research breakthroughs. What's inside: The proposed framework isn't meant to slow science. The authors argue that most biological data should stay open. Only a narrow band that materially increases potential misuse should be protected, they say. "Responsible governance and scientific progress are not contradictions," according to the framework."
"How it works: Right now, AI systems can only create applications based on what's in their training data. Training models on datasets that link viral genetics to real-world traits - like transmissibility or immune evasion - could lower the barrier to designing dangerous pathogens. Zoom in: The concern isn't about off-the-shelf versions of ChatGPT and Claude, says Jassi Pannu, assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and one of the authors of the framework."
An international proposal recommends protecting a narrow subset of biological data with safeguards comparable to sensitive health records while keeping most biological data open. The recommendation responds to initiatives such as the White House's Genesis Mission to train AI on massive scientific datasets. Training models on data that links viral genetics to real-world traits like transmissibility or immune evasion could lower the barrier to designing dangerous pathogens. The primary concern focuses on DNA-trained models that learn the "language" of genetics rather than off-the-shelf chatbots. The proposal calls for restricting only data that materially increases misuse risk and preventing anonymous public posting while preserving access for legitimate researchers.
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