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‘These risks are real’: the threat of AI bioweapons – podcast

The Guardian World Tuesday 20 October 2026, 04:00 UTC By Presented by Ian Sample, produced by Madeleine Finlay, sound design by Ross Burns, the executive producer was Ellie Bury 1 min read
Key Points

In his annual speech on threats to the nation, Sir Ken McCallum, the head of the UK’s intelligence service, MI5, warned that AI had the potential to ‘change the stakes’ on existing and even new bioweapons. To find out why, and how, Ian Sample speaks to Dr Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the Bloomberg School of Public Health. He explains what has governments so worried and what measures could be put in place to reduce the risksCould AI ‘change the...

In his annual speech on threats to the nation, Sir Ken McCallum, the head of the UK’s intelligence service, MI5, warned that AI had the potential to ‘change the stakes’ on existing and even new bioweapons. To find out why, and how, Ian Sample speaks to Dr Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the Bloomberg School of Public Health. He explains what has governments so worried and what measures could be put in place to reduce the risks

Could AI ‘change the stakes’ in the development of bioweapons?

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Ken McCallum (PERSON) UK (LOCATION) AI (ORG) Ian Sample (PERSON) Tom Inglesby (PERSON) the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security (ORG) the Bloomberg School of Public Health (ORG) Guardian (ORG)
Originally published by The Guardian World Read original →

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