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The sequence involves a bad actor using a powerful model to map biological vulnerabilities and identify genetic tweaks to make a pathogen more transmissible, harder to detect, or immune to treatments. The model generates candidates using genomic datasets, which are then synthesized using cheap, accessible gene-editing tools. The resulting pathogen could then spread before being detected by existing biosurveillance systems.

Open-source models can be used and adapted by anyone in private settings outside of any regulatory regime. While frontier models may have more compute power to create something novel, open models fine-tuned by individuals can evade the guardrails that frontier labs might bake into their systems.

Sam Altman (OpenAI), Dario Amodei (Anthropic), Demis Hassabis (Google DeepMind), Mustafa Suleyman (Microsoft), and Alexandr Wang (Meta) cosigned an open letter warning of the risk of AI-derived bioweapons and calling for increased safeguards.

Researchers defined a "catastrophic" outcome as an event resulting in more than 1 million deaths or $100 billion in damage. Assisting in the construction of chemical or biological weapons is categorized within this top-ranked risk.

Fishman points to the Peloponnesian War around 400 BC, noting that Athens was defeated after Sparta cut off its access to grain through the Black Sea.

McKinsey defines them as "Economic dependencies with limited short-term substitutes, in which a single actor, a small coalition of actors, or natural forces could act to alter or restrict the flow of trade or goods through a point or system."

Goldman Sachs analysts pointed to strained data center capacity and power shortfalls in the U.S. as factors contributing to severe chokepoints in the broader AI ecosystem.

Choke points can be economic rather than just geographic, including dominance over critical resources (such as China and rare earths), technology (such as advanced AI chips), or financial networks (such as the U.S. dollar), specifically where there are few ready substitutes.

South Carolina has a history of rejecting appointed senators who sought full terms, specifically in the years 1954 and 1966.

Lindsey Graham's campaign fund has more than $2 million on hand, which Darline's advisers are exploring the legality of accessing, and a super PAC supporting the late senator has announced plans to spend $900,000 to support her campaign.

The candidates mentioned as being in the running are Rep. Ralph Norman, who has a statewide profile from an unsuccessful bid for governor, and Rep. Russell Fry, who served seven years in the state legislature.

Skeptics point to several challenges: she is considered a political novice and an unknown to many voters; she has not been endorsed by Senate leaders or Governor Henry McMaster; she has not committed to participating in campaign debates; and there is a perception that she is "inheriting" the seat rather than earning it. Additionally, there is concern she will inherit the "ceiling of support" of her brother, who struggled to win over the conservative base.