Stanford University PhD student Samuel King used a generative AI model in 2025 to design genetic blueprints for microscopic viruses, marking a pioneering step in AI-designed life forms, according to technologyreview.com. King’s work, which has earned him recognition as one of MIT Technology Review's Innovators Under 35, explores the potential for AI to create new biological entities.
King’s approach involved training a generative AI to propose novel viral genomes, a process that does not yet produce living organisms but lays the groundwork for future AI-generated life. In an interview with senior AI reporter James O'Donnell, King discussed how this method could transform biological research by providing new ways to understand and manipulate life at the genetic level.
This development is significant in the context of synthetic biology and AI, where computational tools increasingly assist in designing biological systems. Comparable advances include AI-driven protein folding predictions and gene editing technologies, which have reshaped biotechnology. King’s work represents a step toward AI’s role in creating life forms, potentially impacting medicine, bioengineering, and virology.
The interview and discussion with Samuel King were featured in a roundtable session published by technologyreview.com on October 16, 2026, providing detailed insights into the emerging field of AI-designed viruses and the future possibilities of AI in biology.