AI Designed Functional Viruses. But How New Were They?

AI Designed Functional Viruses. But How New Were They?

Stanford researchers used a genomic AI model (Evo 2) to design 16 functional bacteriophages from scratch; the AI-generated phages infected antibiotic-resistant E. coli strains that natural phages could not. The breakthrough signals a near-term market for bespoke phage therapies against untreatable infections, but also crystallizes biosecurity risks as the same methods lower barriers to designing dangerous pathogens.