Why It Matters

A recent CRS report examines how artificial intelligence tools may lower technical and knowledge barriers for developing biological threats, spotlighting a convergence of dual-use technologies that regulators and lawmakers are scrambling to address. Some researchers argue that AI could be repurposed and misused to produce biological and chemical compounds, and no federal legislation establishing broad regulatory authorities for AI development and use has been enacted.

The intersection of AI and biotechnology is not theoretical. AI is already being used to design DNA sequences, characterize proteins, discover drugs, and power autonomous laboratories that can run experiments with minimal human involvement. The concern is straightforward: some researchers argue that AI could be repurposed and misused to produce biological and chemical compounds of concern, potentially democratizing access to knowledge that historically required specialized expertise.

Yet skepticism tempers the alarm. In a June 2026 interview, Nobel Prize-winning chemist Jennifer Doudna stated that biology is complex and innovation is still in the domain of human beings, with chatbots not yet coming up with brand-new ideas. Any AI-generated biological designs would still need to be physically synthesized and evaluated to determine whether they are of any practical use or value.

The Big Picture

The Biden administration moved first. On May 5, 2025, Executive Order 14292, titled "Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research," was issued, directing the Office of Science and Technology Policy to revise or replace the 2024 United States Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential within 120 days and to revise or replace the 2024 Framework for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening within 90 days.

As of July 2026, the Congressional Research Service has not been able to determine whether those two policies have been revised or replaced. The 2024 Framework for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening had not been revised or replaced despite the 90-day deadline.

Industry has moved faster than government. In May 2026, OpenAI published a governance framework covering biosecurity risks and has run competitions offering up to $50,000 for identifying jailbreaks of ChatGPT's biosafety safeguards. Anthropic released a proposed policy framework in June 2026 recommending that frontier AI developers test models for catastrophic risks, publish findings, and be accountable to a government agency. In June 2026, a coalition of life sciences researchers, AI companies, and biotechnology developers issued an open letter calling on Congress to make screening of synthetic nucleic acid orders mandatory, placing responsibility on DNA synthesis companies.

Political Stakes

Congress is watching. No federal legislation establishing broad regulatory authorities for AI development and use has been enacted. S. 4363, the Engineering Biology Readiness Act, requires the next biennial update of the biodefense threat assessment to include analysis of engineering biology risks and recommendations to modernize biosafety, biosecurity, and biodefense authorities. S. 3952, the Future of Artificial Intelligence Innovation Act of 2026, establishes standards, metrics, and evaluation tools for AI research and development and requires examination of safeguards against unintended use of AI for developing chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive threats.

The CRS report notes that the nine pieces of legislation mentioned, individually and collectively, could support the advancements of AI and biology while also providing some safeguards.

The Bottom Line

As of the CRS report's writing, the 2024 Framework for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening had not been revised or replaced, despite the 90-day deadline set in Executive Order 14292 on May 25, 2025. The industry has developed standards and self-governance frameworks addressing aspects of biosecurity as it relates to AI and the biological sciences.

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