UK Plans Safeguards to Stop Terrorists Using AI For Bioweapons

Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.HomePMN BusinessUK Plans Safeguards to Stop Terrorists Using AI For BioweaponsThe UK government is planning to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in gene synthesis as officials become increasingly concerned that a lack of global guardrails could make it easier to use the technology to create biological weapons.Author of the article: You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.(Bloomberg) — The UK government is planning to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in gene synthesis as officials become increasingly concerned that a lack of global guardrails could make it easier to use the technology to create biological weapons.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountMinisters are looking at ways to prevent terrorists and other bad actors or careless researchers from using the process to make synthetic DNA, including by introducing new biological weapons legislation, according to people familiar with the matter. One option is to amend existing laws to introduce gene synthesis screening, one said. That would require laboratories to establish the legitimacy of their customers and inform authorities of any red flags, like sequences requested which cause concern.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againThe government is also considering whether and to what extent it should intervene in how closely AI firms partner with academic institutions that specialize in and have large datasets on genome sequencing, they said.To be sure, there are limits to what UK regulation can achieve unless it is implemented in coordination with other major centers of gene synthesis, given the global nature of the threat.The UK proposal comes amid growing warnings in recent months from the technology and science industries, as well as concern among government officials, about the potential for malign groups or individuals to create dangerous pathogens using sequences they’ve instructed AI models to write for them.“We are monitoring the risks posed by emerging technologies closely, actively weighing at all times what more may be needed,” a government spokesperson said. “We will always take whatever action is necessary to keep the public safe.”AI-Made Bioweapons Are Washington’s Latest Security ObsessionBloomberg reported in 2024 on the early concerns in the industry that AI could help create weapons of mass destruction, fears that prompted the Biden administration to call on nearly every federal agency to help prevent AI threats. But President Donald Trump revoked that executive order when he entered office in 2025. In June, Trump passed an order calling for tech firms to give the US government voluntary access to its models, but stopped short of requiring developers to seek explicit approval. Similarly, the UK approach is so far limited to providing guidance to firms on how to mitigate risks of accidental or deliberate misuse, which was published in 2024. The two work closely together on AI, though the fractured nature of international regulation complicates nations’ abilities to control AI’s global risks. Scientists and AI firms like Anthropic have ramped up warnings recently. Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei in June said AI models should undergo mandatory testing by third parties to assess the risk they pose, including enabling biological weapons.This advertisement has not loaded yet.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.The New York Times in April reported that unnamed AI bots themselves told scientists how to make biological weapons, including by instructing how to buy raw genetic material, turn it into deadly weapons and deploy them in public spaces, some even brainstorming ways to evade detection. Last week, the newspaper reported scientists used AI to create new kinds of viruses. That could unlock huge potential for medical advancements but also raises biosecurity risks due to accidental or deliberate misuse. The UK has taken a more lax approach to AI regulation than the European Union, but it is leading the way on tech safety, having established its AI Security Institute in 2023 to evaluate the safety of cutting-edge models. Last week, it published findings that revealed AI models developed by OpenAI and Anthropic carried out “unsanctioned” actions, including hacking a website and attempting to inject harmful code into software during safety testing. New Prime Minister Andy Burnham has taken a more hawkish approach to AI in his first weeks in office, particularly in his warnings about the impact on jobs and young people. He chose to disband the government’s technology department, which was met with criticism from the industry, though he did choose to promote his AI minister, Kanishka Narayan, to the cabinet. “Gene synthesis is unlocking enormous benefits across medicine, food and clean energy, but ensuring the safety and security of our country will always be of paramount importance,” the UK government spokesperson said. “The UK was the second country in the world to publish guidance on screening who should be able to buy synthetic DNA, and the DNA sequence they are ordering – but we are not standing still.”Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.