AI Outsmarts Virus Experts in the Lab, Raising Biohazard Fears
https://time.com/7279010/ai-virus-lab-biohazard-study/
AI Outsmarts Virus Experts in the Lab, Raising Biohazard Fears
https://time.com/7279010/ai-virus-lab-biohazard-study/
7 Comments
“A new study claims that AI models like ChatGPT and Claude now outperform PhD-level virologists in problem-solving in wet labs, where scientists analyze chemicals and biological material. This discovery is a double-edged sword, experts say. Ultra-smart AI models could help researchers prevent the spread of infectious diseases. But non-experts could also weaponize the models to create deadly bioweapons.
Seth Donoughe, a research scientist at SecureBio and a co-author of the paper, says that the results make him a “little nervous,” because for the first time in history, virtually anyone has access to a non-judgmental AI virology expert which might walk them through complex lab processes to create bioweapons.
“Throughout history, there are a fair number of cases where someone attempted to make a bioweapon—and one of the major reasons why they didn’t succeed is because they didn’t have access to the right level of expertise,” he says. “So it seems worthwhile to be cautious about how these capabilities are being distributed.”
AI trained on human peer-reviewed expert research and tasked to analyse very specific data-sets can out perform human researchers. AI trained on uneducated popular opinion merely produces slop.
just because some AI, carefully programmed and prompted, can produce useful science, it doesn’t mean that all AI is useful
Yeah… An AI developing Viruses… What could go wrong.
Do all these people who are experiencing all these incredibly high performing AIs have access to different models or something?
Cause when I use chatgpt at home, it can’t even suggest a recipe for salad dressing, let alone solve complex virology lab problems.
“Outsmarts”. An AI is infinitly smarter than any human.
Isn’t the same true for knowledge? On the wrong hands knowledge can be used to make bad things? So should we be concerned about all the available things on the internet?
Isn’t the same true for knowledge? On the wrong hands knowledge can be used to make bad things? So should we be concerned about all the available things on the internet?