[WritingLife] the ethics of AI enabled synthetic DNA
Ente: European Commission
Scadenza: 2032-08-31
Importo max: 5.859.854 EUR
Paese: EU
Descrizione
The spiral helix structure of DNA is instantly recognisable. It holds a powerful place in the public imagination. The central role of DNA in concepts of identity, family, health, and life itself is reinforced by specialised legal and regulatory frameworks. While designing DNA from scratch is beyond human capability, AI-enabled design and modeling have opened new horizons with synthetic DNA (synDNA). SynDNA allows the creation of organisms with no evolutionary counterparts. This could be seen as a biological equivalent of splitting the atom. Since synDNA outputs can result in novel organisms, we face a future where AI-designed constructs could spill over into the living world. Conversely, we can harvest biological organisms to create new artifacts and products. SynDNA differs from synthetic biology in opening the prospect of creating entirely novel genetic sequences, and in its potential to impact every area of human interaction with biological systems. Yet it has received little attention from ethicists and philosophers. Existing regulatory and ethical frameworks, which tend to reinforce the assumption that genes are internal, natural, and private, fall short in addressing the challenge of synDNA. WritingLife will create a dynamic interdisciplinary research hub, incorporating expertise from philosophy, embryology, and conservation biology. Our goal is to develop a comprehensive account of the moral status of synDNA and formulate policies and ethical frameworks guiding the creation and use of synDNA constructs in research and conservation. Our ultimate output will be The SynDNA Report – a set of recommendations and guidelines based on the philosophical and ethical analysis undertaken by WritingLife.
Settori: Embryology, conservation
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