How AI Is Enabling Undetectable Design of New Toxins
New York — A team of Microsoft scientists has revealed a major security flaw in artificial intelligence safeguards meant to prevent the creation of dangerous biological agents. According to a report published Thursday in Science, researchers discovered that AI tools could generate thousands of synthetic toxins capable of slipping past existing biosecurity screening systems.
In October 2023, the scientists tested AI models by “paraphrasing” genetic code for ricin, a lethal toxin, and producing digital variants. The altered sequences—though still likely toxic—escaped detection by DNA synthesis companies’ biosecurity software, with some tests showing “up to 100 percent” failure rates. Expanding their study, the team created over 70,000 versions of 72 known toxins, many of which bypassed current safeguards.
“This is like a Windows update for the planet,” said Microsoft Chief Scientific Officer Eric Horvitz, who co-led the study. “We’ll continue to patch vulnerabilities as we find them.” The team described the discovery as the first AI-related biosecurity “zero day,” borrowing the term from cybersecurity for previously unknown flaws.
Experts warn the findings underscore a widening gap between rapidly advancing AI-driven protein design and slower-moving biosecurity defenses. While DNA synthesis companies are required under federal guidelines to deploy screening systems, compliance remains voluntary for many, and smaller labs with benchtop synthesis devices may bypass oversight entirely.
Outside experts praised the study for exposing risks but cautioned that no single fix will suffice. “AI is changing the nature of the problem,” said Tom Inglesby of Johns Hopkins University. “But it’s not insoluble.”
Biosecurity leaders are now calling for stronger global safeguards, including embedding security checks directly into AI tools and creating registries to track DNA synthesis orders. Without these measures, they warn, malicious actors could exploit AI to design novel toxins that escape all current defenses.
