Several leading players of the fledgling artificial intelligence (AI) industry, including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind are urging the US Congress to launch mandatory screening for synthetic DNA and RNA orders, aiming to eradicate the risk of biological weapons development.
The appeal comes via an open letter signed by the highly-popular figures of the AI and technological landscape such as Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, Demis Hassabis, Mustafa Suleyman, Alexandr Wang, and Stripe CEO Patrick Collison.
The letter further argued that rapid advances in AI are reducing long-standing barriers to biological research, possibly simplifying it easier for malicious actors to access knowledge required to generate dangerous pathogens.
It has warned that AI systems are constantly being integrated with the cutting-edge AI-powered technology to answer highly technical biological questions at a level comparable to expert researches, significantly increasing biosecurity concerns.
Signatories are calling for a national requirement that companies producing or selling synthetic nucleic acids verify customer identities, screen genetic sequences for risks, and maintain detailed records of transactions.
They argue that a mandatory system would create a consistent federal standard, replacing the current patchwork of voluntary guidelines and state-level rules.
Supporters say many DNA synthesis companies already conduct voluntary screening, but that participation is inconsistent and not sufficient to ensure security across the industry. Opponents, however, caution that defining “dangerous” sequences is complex and that strict regulations could increase costs and burden smaller biotech firms.
The letter concludes by urging lawmakers to act quickly, describing the level of cross-industry agreement on biosecurity as unusual and emphasizing the need for timely legislation.
