A study published Thursday, August 6, 2026, in Science reported that Stanford researchers used a generative genomic model named Evo — described by Forbes as an OpenAI model — trained on millions of genomes to design bacteriophage genomes from scratch. After the AI-designed DNA was synthesized in the laboratory, 16 of the generated phages successfully infected E. coli, in some cases overcoming the bacteria's natural resistance mechanisms, with sequence patterns distinct from anything found in nature. The authors excluded human pathogen datasets from training, so the designed viruses cannot infect people. In an accompanying Science commentary, Thomas Inglesby and Moritz Hanke of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security called for laws making generative design of pathogens affecting humans, animals or crops illegal. Tom Ellis of Imperial College London argued phage genomes are the simplest case and that restricting access to genetic data would help.

• forbes.com2026-08-06