UK government to regulate AI in gene synthesis for biosecurity

The UK government is planning to introduce legislation to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in gene synthesis to mitigate biosecurity risks. This move marks a transition from the current voluntary screening framework toward enforceable rules designed to prevent the creation of biological weapons.

Under the proposed regulations, providers of synthetic nucleic acids would be required to verify customer identities and screen ordered sequences against databases of known dangerous toxins and organisms. This follows concerns that AI could lower the barrier for terrorists or malicious actors to engineer synthetic DNA sequences for harmful purposes.

The initiative aligns with existing standards in the United States and follows advocacy from tech leaders, including executives from OpenAI and Google DeepMind, who have called for mandatory safeguards. While the UK has previously operated under guidance issued in 2024, the new legal requirements would impose penalties for non-compliance rather than relying on reputational risk alone.