Skip to main content

REVIEW article

Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Sec. Biosafety and Biosecurity
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1537471
This article is part of the Research Topic Insights In Biosafety & Biosecurity 2024/2025: Novel Developments, Current Challenges, and Future Perspectives View all 3 articles

Responsible AI in Biotechnology: Balancing Discovery, Innovation and Biosecurity Risks

Provisionally accepted
Nicole E Wheeler Nicole E Wheeler *
  • School of Microbes, Infection and Microbiomes, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in protein design presents unparalleled opportunities for innovation in bioengineering and biotechnology. However, it also raises significant biosecurity concerns. This review examines the changing landscape of bioweapon risks, the dual-use potential of AI-driven bioengineering tools, and the necessary safeguards to prevent misuse while fostering innovation. It highlights emerging policy frameworks, technical safeguards, and community responses aimed at mitigating risks and enabling responsible development and application of AI in protein design.

    Keywords: Artificial Intellegence, Biotechnology, AI safety, protein design and engineering, Synthetic Biology

    Received: 30 Nov 2024; Accepted: 03 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Wheeler. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Nicole E Wheeler, School of Microbes, Infection and Microbiomes, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.