Google Plans Biodefense Summit Amid Rising Concerns Over AI’s Biological Power

Google will host a biodefense summit in July, aiming to address the growing risks linked to advanced AI systems in biology. The company announced the event as part of a larger effort to get ahead of dual-use threats while accelerating scientific progress.

AI tools like Gemini already help researchers screen drug candidates and model protein interactions. But as these systems improve, so does the potential for misuse. The same tools that streamline vaccine design or enzyme production could assist bad actors in replicating dangerous biological agents. Google doesn’t want to wait for that scenario to unfold.

To reduce that risk, the company now runs detection systems on all frontier models. These systems block unsafe requests in real time and trigger follow-up reviews. Teams also train the models to avoid detailed responses for sensitive subjects like genetic engineering or virology.

Red teamers — internal and external experts — stress test the system, trying to find cracks before someone else does. These groups pair AI security experts with biologists to close blind spots on both sides.

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Google’s plan doesn’t stop at training models to refuse risky prompts. It includes controls over model access, infrastructure hardening, and strict policy enforcement. High-risk users face account suspension or even legal escalation when required.

The company built its Preparedness Framework to measure when a model crosses into high-capability territory. It publishes system cards to share how models perform during testing — but skips specifics that could help attackers. Google already applied parts of this framework to current models like o3 and plans more as newer models roll out.

The summit will bring together governments, researchers, and NGOs to explore safe ways to use AI in life sciences. Topics will include countermeasures, diagnostics, and how to avoid worst-case scenarios. Google hopes stronger public-private alliances can boost readiness before risks outpace defenses.

The company says its long-term plan includes helping vetted institutions access advanced AI tools under strict policies — especially for biotech use cases. It also backs stronger industry rules, such as better screening of synthetic DNA orders and faster outbreak detection.

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