A coalition of AI leaders, including Sam Altman of OpenAI and Dario Amodei of Anthropic, has called for new legislation to regulate access to synthetic nucleic acids. An open letter signed by industry figures such as Demis Hassabis of Google DeepMind and Alexandr Wang of Meta emphasizes the need for safeguards to prevent misuse of bioweapon knowledge. The letter highlights the rapid advancements in AI technology and the potential erosion of barriers that have historically protected against biological threats.
The group urges policymakers to implement measures that would require thorough checks on requests for DNA synthesis, including scanning for “sequences of concern” and verifying the legitimacy of customers. They advocate for recording order data to enhance traceability, arguing that such awareness may deter misuse.
This initiative is supported by two think tanks: the Institute for Progress and the Foundation for American Innovation. In related developments, OpenAI recently published a comprehensive white paper proposing stricter vetting processes for AI models, which goes beyond the standards outlined in a previous executive order issued by President Trump.