Over 100 Top University Researchers Endorse Framework to Restrict AI Access to Deadly Virus Data
Summary
Over 100 researchers from top universities including Johns Hopkins, Oxford, and Stanford endorse new restrictions on AI access to viral genetic data that could enable bioweapon creation, targeting specific datasets linking virus genetics to deadly traits while keeping most biological research open.
Key Points
- Over 100 researchers from Johns Hopkins, Oxford, Stanford, Columbia and NYU endorse a framework to govern infectious disease datasets that could enable AI to design deadly viruses
- The proposed restrictions target a narrow band of biological data linking viral genetics to dangerous traits like transmissibility, while keeping most biological research data open
- Concerns focus on AI models trained on DNA sequences that could lower barriers to creating bioweapons, as the Trump administration pushes aggressive AI development through the Genesis Mission