AI and Synthetic Biology Are Critical to Future U.S. Competitiveness - War on the Rocks

On Jan. 11, 2020, Chinese authorities shared the genetic sequence of the virus that causes COVID-19 for the first time. By Jan. 13, the biotechnology firm Moderna had used this information to finalize the design of its vaccine. This miracle of modern science -- shortening to a matter of hours a process that had previously taken months or years -- was not a stroke of luck. It was enabled by significant advancements in AI and machine learning, investments in these technologies by industry, and a research base built by decades of U.S. government funding in life sciences and biotechnology. AI is transforming the biotechnology sector, and the U.S. government should take bold steps now to realize the important influence AI will have on the sector's overall potential, and ensure the United States leads the coming biotechnology revolution.