The CEOs of OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft AI co-signed an open letter to Congress pushing for mandatory screening of synthetic DNA and RNA sales, warning that AI could erode the barriers that have kept bad actors from building biological weapons. Organized by two think tanks and signed by dozens of life-sciences and national-security experts, the letter asks lawmakers to make voluntary screening a legal requirement and to have sellers keep records of orders and specifications. Some synthetic-DNA makers, including Twist Bioscience and Ansa Biotechnologies, signed on too, a sign part of the industry wants the rules. It adds weight to the Biosecurity Modernization and Innovation Act introduced in February, and lands as New York Times reporting shows public AI models can already offer guidance on biological weapons.
