AI that will allow you to modify people?

California startup Profluent has just marked a major turning point in biological engineering with the development of OpenCRISPR-1, a gene editor built using generative artificial intelligence. This new tool, the result of in-depth analysis of millions of amino acid and nucleic acid sequences, allows the development of biological mechanisms capable of modifying human DNA.

Posted by NP – Saturday, April 27, 2024 at 1:49 pm.

The advent of OpenCRISPR-1 represents a significant advance in the way scientists approach genetic modification. Inspired by the success of generative technologies such as ChatGPT for text and Midjourney for images, Profluent has succeeded in creating a system that integrates never-before-seen molecular programs for DNA manipulation. This breakthrough could potentially change the way genetic diseases are treated, allowing the production of millions of individual gene editors.

Open source to speed up research

In an unprecedented move in the pharmaceutical industry, Profluent has made OpenCRISPR-1 open source, allowing the global scientific community to participate in the development and improvement of this technology. This exchange aims to accelerate research and development of gene therapies that are more precise and personalized.

Ethical and regulatory implications

Despite the enthusiasm generated by this innovation, there are already voices calling for strict control of this technology. The potential for eugenic excess and the consequences of genetic modifications being passed on to offspring raise serious ethical questions.

These concerns, albeit on a smaller scale, have already existed since the development of the original CRISPR-Cas9 method, which revolutionized genetic modification. Since its discovery in 2012, it has already been at the center of intense debate, especially after the creation of the first genetically modified babies in China in 2018. This debate can only intensify with the advent of OpenCRISPR-1.

Towards a future of highly targeted gene therapy

Experts hope that technologies like OpenCRISPR-1 will make it possible to treat diseases previously considered incurable, and do so in a targeted manner, avoiding the side effects of more general approaches. The limitless possibilities offered by generative artificial intelligence in genetic engineering may well usher in a new era of medicine, where each patient can receive treatments tailored to their own genetic code.

While OpenCRISPR-1 represents a giant step forward in the field of genetic engineering, promising future developments that could redefine the boundaries of medicine and biotechnology, it is nonetheless critical that the development of these technologies be accompanied by rigorous ethical analysis and appropriate regulatory frameworks for prevention. any malicious or unethical use.