AI can design and run thousands of lab experiments without human hands. Humanity isn’t ready for the new risks this brings to biology

Researchers have found that even people with limited experience in biology can use AI to help them create a dangerous pathogen.

By: Stephen D. Turner, University of Virginia, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: April 9, 2026

Words: 1,441

Last Updated: 3 months, 3 weeks ago

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By Stephen D. Turner, University of Virginia

Artificial intelligence is rapidly learning to autonomously design and run biological experiments, but the systems intended to govern those capabilities are struggling to keep pace.

AI company OpenAI and biotech company Ginkgo Bioworks announced in February 2026 that OpenAI’s flagship model GPT-5 had autonomously designed and run 36,000 biological experiments. It did this through a robotic cloud laboratory, a facility where automated equipment controlled remotely by computers …

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