Artificial intelligence could be used by terrorists to engineer a deadly superbug capable of unleashing the next global pandemic, ministers fear. Experts warn that AI is becoming so powerful it could help extremists design viruses that spread faster, cause more severe illness, and are harder to treat than naturally occurring diseases.
How AI Could Enable a Biological Attack
Once the genetic blueprint of a pathogen is created on a computer, the synthetic DNA could be ordered from a laboratory and potentially used in a biological attack. The chilling prospect has sparked fears of another Covid-style catastrophe if such a pathogen were deliberately released. Ministers are now considering tightening controls on the sale of man-made DNA amid growing concerns the technology could fall into the wrong hands.
Industry Leaders Call for Action
The alarm comes after bosses of some of the world's biggest AI companies urged politicians in the United States to clamp down on synthetic DNA sales. They warned that the latest AI systems can now outperform PhD-level virologists when designing biological agents, making it far easier for criminals or terrorists to develop dangerous new pathogens. Similar concerns have also been discussed by national security and technology officials in Britain.
Current Regulations and Government Response
While labs are advised to carry out checks on customers ordering synthetic DNA and verify they have a legitimate reason for buying it, there is currently no legal requirement for those checks to take place. The Government said it was keeping the threat under close review. A spokesman 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. We are monitoring the risks posed by emerging technologies closely, actively weighing at all times what more may be needed."
Additional Climate-Related Health Risks
Separately, scientists are warning that global warming will inevitably bring invasive mosquitoes to Britain, sparking fears of outbreaks of tropical diseases. Experts say Brits "should be concerned" that the UK is not prepared for the influx of the bugs and dangerous illnesses they spread. Cases of dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika could well break out on these shores within the next 20 years. Rising temperatures and milder winters are making parts of Britain more hospitable to disease-carrying insects that were once limited to hotter countries, ultimately increasing the odds of imported cases and occasional local transmission.
