Key facts
- AI CEOs from Anthropic, OpenAI, and Microsoft AI sent a letter to Congress.
- The letter calls for mandatory screening of companies selling synthetic DNA and RNA.
- AI's ability to lower barriers to bioweapon creation is a key concern.
- Record-keeping for synthetic DNA/RNA sales is requested.
- Existing laws prohibit the development or possession of biological weapons.
CEOs from leading AI companies, including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Microsoft AI, have jointly urged Congress to implement stricter safeguards against the misuse of AI for bioweapon creation. In a public letter organized by the Foundation for American Innovation and the Institute for Progress, they called for mandatory screening of companies selling synthetic DNA and RNA, materials that could be used to develop bioweapons with AI assistance. The letter highlights that AI systems are rapidly improving, potentially eroding the knowledge barriers that have historically prevented malicious actors from acquiring biological weapons. While some companies in the synthetic DNA sector already conduct voluntary screening, the signatories advocate for legally mandated requirements, including record-keeping on orders and material specifications, to aid biosecurity investigations. The initiative comes amid the widespread and rapid global adoption of generative AI tools, which studies show can provide information on creating and spreading biological weapons. The letter references existing laws like the Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989 and the PATRIOT Act, while seeking to strengthen current protections around synthetic DNA sales. Separately, Anthropic PBC has called for an industrywide mechanism to pause AI development to allow society to address its implications.