AI-rewritten: This is a summary of an article from MIT Technology Review, rewritten by AI (Qwen, running locally) to make it easier to read. The facts come from the original article – read it for the full story.

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Stanford University PhD student Samuel King recently used a generative AI model to propose genetic blueprints for microscopic viruses. While this is not yet an example of AI-generated life, it suggests that creating new life forms could be the next step. James O’Donnell, senior AI reporter, will interview King on October 16th at 18:30 BST regarding these findings and his recognition as one of MIT Technology Review’s Innovators Under 35.

The conversation explores why current AI agents lack the creativity to conduct genuinely innovative open-ended research. Ten years after AlphaGo defeated Go champion Lee Sedol, experts note that today’s AI has not yet tapped into the specific machinery responsible for that victory. Consequently, breathless claims about artificial general intelligence often fall apart under scrutiny.