The UK government has announced a £100 million investment to create the AI Biosecurity Lab (AIBL), a national facility aimed at using artificial intelligence to defend against biological threats, including future pandemics. The lab is part of a broader £600 million government funding package for AI security and is described as the world's first dedicated AI biosecurity organization.
Leading AI companies, including Google DeepMind, OpenAI, and Anthropic, are supporting the initiative. OpenAI and Anthropic will provide up to a combined £200 million in model credits, compute power, and technical support. The AIBL will focus on harnessing AI to enhance the detection of emerging biological threats and accelerate the development of vaccines and other medical countermeasures.