AI is collapsing the "know-how barrier,” and now the sector’s top leaders are urging U.S. lawmakers to take action.

Individuals with no advanced training can now use AI to perform complex lab methods that were once tightly constrained by technical know-how. A coalition of nearly 75 artificial intelligence leaders, biotech executives, and biosecurity specialists is urging regulators to require screening for purchases of synthetic nucleic acids and the machines used to produce them.

The group argued that a federal requirement would close a key gap in the biotech supply chain while keeping the process relatively low-friction for legitimate research.

The signatories, which include Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang, Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, and Twist Bioscience CEO Emily Leproust wrote in a public letter that online access to made-to-order DNA has become central to modern science, from basic lab work to faster vaccine development. They also said the same convenience creates an opportunity for misuse because harmful biological material can be assembled from ordered sequences.

The signatory list also includes Nobel and Turing award recipients, university researchers, and former senior U.S. national security officials.

What’s In The Letter?

The group pointed to rapid improvements in AI as a complicating factor. Advanced systems, they argue, can now answer specialized lab-method questions at a level that exceeds trained experts in narrow domains.

While the authors said the current evidence on near-term risk is mixed, they warned that the know-how barrier that has historically slowed bad actors could shrink.

The proposal would obligate DNA synthesis providers and equipment makers to review orders for sequences of concern, confirm customer legitimacy, and retain records that could support investigations. The letter also notes that "awareness of traceability itself deters misuse."

The signers said many large providers already run checks voluntarily, citing the industry's role in maintaining public confidence and reducing potential abuse. 

They called for Congress to take action during this session, noting that a consistent national standard should be created rather than "a patchwork of conflicting laws."

"This is a rare moment of agreement across stakeholders that are often at odds. We hope policy makers will meet it with decisive action," the letter concluded.

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