The UK Government is establishing the AI Biosecurity Lab, a new organisation that will use advanced AI to strengthen defences against biological threats and speed up the development of medical countermeasures.
The initiative will bring together expertise in AI, life sciences and biosecurity to improve the country’s ability to identify and respond to emerging risks.
The organisation will receive £100m in government funding, alongside up to £200m in commitments from OpenAI and Anthropic.
The investment will support research into AI-enabled biosecurity capabilities, including earlier detection of biological threats and faster development of vaccines and treatments.
Described as the world’s first dedicated AI biosecurity organisation, the AI Biosecurity Lab will operate independently as a non-profit body.
Its establishment forms part of the government’s National AI Biosecurity Initiative, which aims to harness the benefits of increasingly capable AI systems while reducing the risks they could pose.
Speaking on the initiative, AI Minister Kanishka Narayan said: “Our new AI Biosecurity Lab will be a major new global institution, bringing together world-leading scientific expertise to protect people from emerging biological threats and ensure Britain leads the world in AI safety and security.
“As AI becomes more powerful, Britain must have the capabilities to protect its people and shape its own future. That means staying ahead of emerging threats, from cyber attacks to biological risks, while building more of the critical technology our security depends on.
“We cannot afford to rely entirely on technology built overseas. By backing British science, advanced chips and our own AI companies, we can strengthen our national security, rebuild Britain’s industrial strength and create good, skilled jobs across the country.”
Using AI to strengthen biological security
Advances in AI are creating new opportunities for scientific research, from improving understanding of diseases to supporting the development of medical treatments.
However, more capable AI systems could also make certain harmful biological activities easier to undertake, creating new challenges for biosecurity.
The AI Biosecurity Lab will focus on developing practical technical capabilities to help the UK understand, prevent, detect and respond to these threats.
Its work will build on the country’s wider Biological Security Strategy and support both national preparedness and international resilience.
Initial priorities will include improving early detection of emerging biological threats and accelerating the development, testing, and discovery of vaccines, treatments, and other medical countermeasures.
The government intends these capabilities to help public authorities and life sciences organisations respond faster to disease outbreaks while strengthening protection against future biological risks.
OpenAI and Anthropic commit up to £200m
Two leading AI companies will provide substantial resources to support the lab’s launch.
OpenAI has committed £100m in computing and model credits, alongside trusted access to its most capable relevant models through its Rosalind Biodefense programme.
Anthropic will provide up to £100m in model credits, trusted model access and dedicated technical support.
Further collaborations will involve Google DeepMind and UK AI life sciences company Basecamp Research.
Basecamp Research will contribute access to its AI biology models, technical capabilities and expertise to address priority biosecurity challenges.
Google DeepMind scientists and biosecurity specialists will collaborate with the lab on research and explore providing trusted access to frontier Gemini models and specialised scientific models.
The initiative is intended to combine advanced AI capabilities with biological expertise, translating research developments into tools that can be applied to real-world biosecurity challenges.
Government and research partnerships
The AI Biosecurity Lab will work with public-sector organisations, universities, industry partners and AI companies in the UK and internationally.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) will be involved through the National AI Biosecurity Initiative, alongside the life sciences sector.
The lab will also work with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to support preparations for health emergencies and inform the regulation of medicines designed using AI.
Independent organisation with long-term ambitions
The AI Biosecurity Lab will operate as an independent non-profit organisation, aiming to position the UK as a world leader in AI-enabled biosecurity.
Its structure is intended to attract leading technical talent from industry and academia while allowing it to work with the speed and focus of a frontier AI and biotechnology company.
A scientific advisory committee will provide guidance, drawing on expertise from academia, industry and the third sector.
The government also intends to combine public and philanthropic funding to support further investment in biosecurity capabilities over time.
Through its research, technical partnerships and links with government agencies, the AI Biosecurity Lab will seek to ensure that advances in AI strengthen the ability to prevent, detect and respond to biological threats.
