A Startup Wants to Fight AI Bioweapons With AI

Now, a startup says it has developed a defense. On Wednesday, Radical Numerics announced that it has developed a new edge model called Omnii Defense that is designed to flag natural and AI-engineered pathogens using a laptop and a USB gene sequencer. It can also run without an internet connection, allowing researchers in the field with spotty connections to use it. Though many scientists say AI-made bioweapons are a low-likelihood threat, Radical Numerics hopes its technology will help researchers and public health officials identify emerging biological threats.

Eric Nguyen, cofounder and CEO of Radical Numerics, says he sees a coming arms race in biodefense similar to what’s playing out in cybersecurity, where threat actors and security defenders are leveraging AI in an attempt to gain an edge.