Researcher who trained frontier LLMs and built viruses says AI-bio doom takes are bogus
dhadfieldmenell · x · 2026-09-14
DavidRBellamy, who claims to be nearly unique in having both trained a frontier LLM and personally designed and synthesized viruses in a lab, argues that takes on AI killing us all via engineered viruses are 'total bogus.' Reposter taoburr pushes back: not all DNA synthesis companies screen orders — you only need one that doesn't — and advanced AI could plausibly design novel viruses that evade detection. The linked IFP report, 'How to Secure the DNA Supply Chain,' lays out a field strategy for biosecurity: making order/customer screening cheap and efficient, establishing screening standards, extending the perimeter to benchtop synthesizers and split-order detection, standing up independent audit bodies, and hardening screening against AI-enabled evasion. Part of The Launch Sequence series of concrete plans for advanced AI.
Related event: Dual-background researcher debunks AI pandemic doom claims(26 posts)→
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