Artificial Intelligence used to design brand new viruses - BBC News

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# Artificial Intelligence used to design brand new viruses

![This image is a scientific illustration of a bacteriophage. The bacteriophage is shown landing on a grey-hairy surface, with a geometric head, a segmented tail, and multiple thin leg-like structures extending from its base. The virus is rendered in glowing red that stands out from the grey background.](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/2560/cpsprodpb/e150/live/81e84950-91b8-11f1-bab9-173de0e7d358.jpg)Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, 

The AI models were trained on genetic codes from viruses, bacteria, plants and people

By

[James Gallagher](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/ck899zee5x2t)

Health and science correspondent

- Published

  6 August 2026

**Artificial Intelligence has been used to design brand new viruses that are fully functional and can replicate in the laboratory, say US researchers.**

It is the first time whole genomes have been successfully designed by AI.

The resulting 16 novel viruses were created to infect bacteria and pose no threat to people.

The breakthrough has been labelled a "very significant turning point" in science that could unlock a new era for treating disease. But experts have also warned AI-designed viruses raise "urgent" safety and security concerns.

AI tools are rapidly advancing and have already been used to design new antibiotics.

But that is relatively simple compared with designing a new viable virus from scratch.

"This is a next step in the complexity that's designable by generative AI, this is the first time generative AI has been used to design a complete genome, it's something that can replicate and have other functions inside cells… this was new territory for us," Brian Hie, assistant professor at Stanford University, told the BBC.

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The technology works similarly to large language models, like ChatGPT, which predict sequences of text.

In this instance the AI models, known as Evo1 and Evo2, predict the language of life rather than words.

The AI models were trained on genetic codes from viruses, bacteria, plants and people.

They were then refined to produce a type of virus, known as a bacteriophage, which infect only specific species of bacteria.

![Two people working together at a desk in what appears to be a laboratory or research office environment. Large computer monitors display colorful three-dimensional molecular or protein structure models against dark backgrounds, while a laptop on the desk shows lines of code or data. One person is seated using the laptop, and another is leaning toward the screens as both focus on the scientific visualizations. Laboratory shelving and equipment are visible in the background, suggesting a biomedical, biotechnology, or computational research setting. The scene emphasizes the use of computer-based analysis and visualization tools to study complex biological structures.](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/1920/cpsprodpb/b344/live/801b5c10-91b9-11f1-bab9-173de0e7d358.jpg)Image source, Stanford University

Image caption, 

Assistant professor Brian Hie, pictured on left with a colleague, said of his work "This was new territory for us".

The Stanford researchers picked the most promising 302 AI designs and synthesised them in the lab. Of these, 16 proved effective at killing E. coli bacteria.

Samuel King, a PhD student in the lab, said they realised the phage were working in the early hours of the morning.

The phage were placed on petri dishes growing a layer of bacteria on them and the scientists waited for signs their new viruses were enjoying the feast.

"We were starting to see these clear spots and it was just extremely exciting," says King. When the results were shared with the wider team "the room spontaneously burst into applause", Hie recalls.

Developing new phage could lead to new ways of treating infections that have become resistant to antibiotics.

![This image is a scientific illustration of a bacteriophage. The bacteriophage is shown floating above a textured surface, with a geometric head, a segmented tail, and multiple thin leg-like structures extending from its base. The virus is rendered in glowing red, orange, and pink tones that contrast sharply with the dark blue background. Small, out-of-focus particles are scattered throughout the scene, creating the impression of a microscopic environment. The composition emphasizes the unusual shape of the bacteriophage and its isolation within a stylized, magnified biological setting.](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/2048/cpsprodpb/e09f/live/5af239f0-91b8-11f1-bab9-173de0e7d358.jpg)Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, 

Phage therapy is seen as a potential solution to the rising tide of bacterial infections that cannot be treated with antibiotics

But the breakthrough also points to the ability of AI to design new biology that goes beyond the natural world – what is known as synthetic biology.

Hie argues this has the potential to "massively improve human health" by developing new drugs and therapies.

But concerns have already been raised that the same technology could be used maliciously to create new diseases.

In a commentary accompanying the publication in the journal Science, Dr Thomas Inglesby and Dr Moritz Hanke from the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University wrote that the findings raise "urgent biosafety and biosecurity questions".

They said it was no longer a question of "whether generative viral genome design will exist" but whether it can be used without "enabling serious harm".

For example, they said new viruses with the potential to cause disease "should not be pursued".

The resear