technews-editor@acm.org
Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2024 12:15:42 -0400 (EDT)
Cade Metz, The New York Times, 23 Apr 2024, via ACM TechNews
Generative AI technology developed by Berkeley, Calif.-based startup
Profluent is generating blueprints for microscopic biological mechanisms
with a gene editor called OpenCRISPR-1, which can edit DNA. The technology
learns from sequences of amino acids and nucleic acids, in essence analyzing
the behavior of CRISPR gene editors pulled from nature and learning how to
generate entirely new gene editors. "These AI models learn from sequences,
whether those are sequences of characters or words or computer code or amino
acids," said Profluent CEO Ali Madani (pictured). Profluent said that it was
"open sourcing" its OpenCRISPR-1 editor, though not the AI technology behind
it.
[What can possibly go wrong? Frankenmonsters? Ex-Terminator, e.g.,
irreversible disablement of people who still had a life to live? PGN]