AI-Designed Viral Genomes Yield 16 Live, Working Phages
Generative AI crossed a boundary biology hadn't reached: genome language models trained on millions of genomes didn't just write a gene — they designed whole living organisms. Using the E. coli phage ΦX174 as a template, Evo 1 and Evo 2 generated thousands of synthetic genomes, of which 285 were synthesized and 16 assembled into working phages, some deadlier to their host than the natural original. The same capability that promises bespoke weapons against drug-resistant bacteria opens an ominous biosecurity door.