16 October 2026
Stanford PhD student used generative AI to propose virus designs
First reported
The Algorithm ran this on .
- A Stanford PhD student used a generative AI model in 2025 to propose genetic blueprints for microscopic viruses.
- The work is a preliminary step toward AI-designed life, according to the one newsletter covering it.
- The newsletter says the work is not yet an example of AI designing life itself.
How it was covered
The AlgorithmMIT Technology Review
The 2025 AI-designed virus work by Samuel King, and a roundtable session or video with him