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Scientists have created new viruses using AI. Here’s how they did it
Summary by The Nashville Editorial Desk · Byline on the source page: Jordan Gartner , as published by WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate)
· August 7, 2026
· 1 min read
Photo: WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate) · view original
Story provenance No corrections
Summary created by The Nashville Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Byline on source page Jordan Gartner, as published by WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate) Original story Read at the source Source published Aug 7, 2026 Indexed here Aug 7, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
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Key takeaway The study, which is available online, details the creation of 16 novel viruses using AI-designed complete genomes.
Scientists have utilized artificial intelligence to design and create new viruses. This development is intended to lead to medical advances. However, concerns have been raised about the potential misuse of this technology to create harmful pathogens.
The study, which is available online, details the creation of 16 novel viruses using AI-designed complete genomes. The team behind the study used AI to identify natural DNA patterns and then created viruses that do not occur naturally. Further details about this breakthrough and its implications can be found in the original report from The New York Times, as shared by Gray News.
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About this story
As published by WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate) . The Nashville surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
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Category: local ·
Published: August 7, 2026 ·
Source: WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate) ·
Reading time: 1 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Scientists have utilized artificial intelligence to design and create new viruses. This development is intended to lead to medical advances. However, concerns have been raised about the potential…
When was this published? This article was first published on August 7, 2026 by WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate) and curated for The Nashville readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Jordan Gartner at WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate). To learn more about how The Nashville selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The Nashville, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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