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GlossarySafetyIntermediate

Biorisk

Also written: Biosecurity, Gain-of-function research

The risk of biological harm from AI, including misuse to create threats.

In plain terms

Biorisk refers to the dangers associated with biological agents or toxins. In the context of AI, it specifically means the risk that AI systems could be used to create or spread dangerous biological substances, or that AI research itself could lead to accidental harm.

For example, an AI could potentially be used to design new viruses or to find ways to make existing ones more deadly. It also covers the risk of AI systems being used to develop harmful biological weapons.

The expert version

Biorisk in AI encompasses the potential for AI systems to exacerbate biological threats, either through intentional misuse or accidental discovery. This includes AI's role in accelerating research that could lead to the creation of novel pathogens, enhancing the transmissibility or lethality of existing ones, or enabling the synthesis of dangerous toxins. The dual-use nature of AI research means that advancements in areas like protein folding or drug discovery could be repurposed for malicious ends, posing a significant biorisk.

Why it matters now

Recent discussions highlight AI's growing capabilities in biological research and its potential for misuse. Labs like Anthropic and OpenAI are actively researching how AI could be used to create or spread biological threats, necessitating safety measures and risk assessments.

Where it shows up 4 items, newest first
How each company uses it
Anthropic Claude
Anthropic researches AI's dual-use potential in biology and implements safety measures to prevent misuse, directly addressing biorisk.
OpenAI ChatGPT
OpenAI researches worst-case risks of open-weight LLMs, including potential misuse for malicious purposes that could involve biological threats.
Related terms

AI safetydual-use researchbiosecurityexistential riskmisuseAI alignment

Often confused with
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Origin

The term 'biorisk' has been used in public health and biosecurity for years to describe risks associated with biological agents. Its application to AI is a more recent development as AI capabilities intersect with biological research.

Try this about 5 minutes

Ask an AI model like ChatGPT or Claude to explain how AI could be used in drug discovery. Then, ask it to explain the potential risks of such applications, focusing on how they might be misused to create biological threats.

Try it: Playbook entries that use thisPlaybook →

The Playbook: reusable how-tos, prompts, configs and tips pulled out of the news.

Questions people ask

Can AI create new diseases?
AI could potentially be used to design novel pathogens or modify existing ones, increasing the risk of dangerous new diseases.
What is the difference between biorisk and biosecurity?
Biorisk refers to the actual danger of biological harm, while biosecurity is about protecting against that danger.

First seen on Subvolts Aug 5, 2025. Updated Oct 12, 2026. Written by an AI model from the items above and reviewed against them weekly; report an error.