249
AI creates first synthetic viruses (europe.pub)
submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by to c/fuck_ai@lemmy.world
162 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Why go for the cures right?
Paywalled source https://ft.trib.al/Uk6VCRG

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 63 points 1 month ago (18 children)

Why go for the cures right?

That's literally what a bacteriophage is.

For the uninitiated, the scientists created bacteriophages, viruses that eat bacteria and are being studied as a way to cure bacterial diseases without using antibiotics. Non-paywalled article: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/aug/06/safety-fears-as-scientists-make-first-viruses-designed-by-ai

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 18 child comments
    •
  • [–] 31 points 1 month ago (16 children)

    For real. I hate AI but people need to read the damn article.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 16 child comments
    •
  • [–] 8 points 1 month ago (15 children)

    Sorry, but the anti-AI movement is about as well informed as the anti-vax and flat-earth movement.

    I am pro-AI and yet fully agree it needs to be ethically and responsibly used and regulated. Data super-centers bad, Grok bad, ChatGPT bad, etc.

    I have even seen people say "LLMs can only be chatbots and all chatbots are bad!" Not understanding that this type of research, as well as weather prediction, and animal behaviour studies, all use LLMs.

    And every time I've attempted to broach the subject, I've been accused of being an OpenAI fanboy, etc.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 15 child comments
    •
  • [–] 2 points 1 month ago (13 children)

    The "anti-AI movement" is just most people on earth, so of course there's millions of stupid people them.

    The pro AI people are the odd ones out, like my boss who vibe coded a task planner and then showed it to us and told us to use AI to develop our complex app faster, as if it isn't built into every IDE nowadays and he is some genius who just needs to tell the stupid nerds how things work. Just a reeeally special bunch of people.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 13 child comments
    •
  • [–] 0 points 1 month ago (12 children)

    So you advocate for using AI to develop new drugs? Study weather patterns? Assist in physics and material sciences? Assist with coding? Are you saying pro-AI people think all AI should be embraced at every level, and replace humans?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 12 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago (9 children)

    Did you rely on AI to help you understand my comment?

    The point is that calling it an "anti-AI movement", is like saying there's an anti shit eating movement. Yes, there are some weirdos being an exception, but apart from that it's just humanity as a whole.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 9 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago (8 children)

    And I reject that premise entirely, which is why I asked directly whether or not you supported the usage of AI I listed. Because from what I have seen, people who reject AI do so wholesale, with no regard to how it is being used. That's what I mean by the Anti-AI movement, not that you have a club and meetings.

    I am not defending your bosses use of AI to vibecode, but that has absolutely nothing to do with what OP posted.

    So are you condemning an entire technology and field of research on the grounds of the worst examples, or do you support the usage of AI in the fields I mentioned?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 8 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago (7 children)

    X is what I mean by Y, not Y

    Since we're rejecting premises, logic rejects this premise. And I reject the premise of me guiding you to a place where it makes sense. Just talk to Grok instead, it will give you the positive affirmation you seek.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 7 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago (6 children)

    I've never spoken to Grok in my life, but you seem disinterested in having an honest conversation about this while accusing me of being a shill or stupid. Precisely the tendency I named in my first message. I reject the premise that AI is pure shit, which you snuck in when comparing what I called the anti-AI movement to an anti-eating-shit movement. But you have not even tried to tell me why AI is shit, in the context of being used to improve weather prediction, and develop new drugs. I'm happy to hear why I'm wrong, but are you willing to actually talk about it, or do you just want to insult me?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 6 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago (5 children)

    You really think other people are stupid, eh? It's fairly obvious that someone who on purpose doesn't grasp the point that [there is no movement if it's just humanity + exceptions prove the rule], and just tries to drag you elsewhere, never WANTED an honest conversation.

    But you know who will gladly accept your BS, and give you the positive answers you seek? LLMs. That's why I tried to redirect you there.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
    •
  • [–] 0 points 1 month ago (4 children)

    I fully grasp it, but you're nitpicking over language. I acknowledged already that there is no movement in the typical sense, (despite us having this conversation in a community called FuckAI.) Would you prefer I use the phrase "The people against AI," instead? I'm dragging you back to the same point over and over again because it's specifically how I have differentiated the 2 opposing views, and you are the one to have claimed it was pure shit. Whereas I never once claimed it was perfect or without faults. Why are you avoiding my question, and repeatedly sending accusations against me? You've called me delusional, arrogant, stupid, and now have claimed I think everyone else is stupid.

    Is AI 100% useless, or does it have genuinely beneficial uses? Such as in drug research and weather pattern prediction? Do you reject all AI, in every single context? Or do you support its use in specific areas?

    I honestly don't know what your stance even is, because you won't tell me.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
  • [–] 0 points 1 month ago (3 children)

    You have made it clear that you feel entitled to drag people into that discussion, but that's simply delusional.

    "The anti-AI movement" doesn't exist, stop being a drama queen, bye.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago (2 children)

    Drag you in to what discussion? The one you engaged in, then refused to give me any reasoning behind? I'm still not sure what your position actually is on the matter because you won't tell me. Is it entitlement asking someone to explain why they believe something? What the reasoning behind a statement is?

    I already accepted your framing that there is no "Anti-AI movement." Why are you relitigating that?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago* (1 child)

    BECAUSE THAT WAS MY WHOLE POINT! NOTHING ELSE!

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago

    Then I think you've misunderstood my reasoning, or why I've repeatedly asked the same question. I'm sorry if I phrased it poorly or wasn't clearer.

    "The point is that calling it an "anti-AI movement", is like saying there's an anti shit eating movement."

    This is what I have been arguing against. If you are saying that being against AI is so universal and obvious as to be compared to being against eating shit, then I need a justification for that comparison. Without the reasoning behind the claim, it cannot be accepted.

    It seems to me there are only 3 justifications for this claim.

    1. Being against AI is so universal and self-evident it cannot be considered a movement.

    2. A movement requires a structured hierarchy and stated goals, which the proposed "Anti-AI Movement," does not have.

    3. Being anti-AI doesn't mean a universal hatred of AI. It is a spectrum between universal admonishment and regulation.

    If the point you're trying to make is the first, it's specifically why I have been repeatedly asking you to defend the claim, and it's why I reject the framing.

    If the point you're trying to make is the second, then I already conceded it, and you're arguing linguistic semantics.

    If it is the third point, then you're claiming that to be "Pro-AI" means to be a universal advocate for AI in all things and all ways, which again I disagree with, even if there are indeed some people who feel that way.

    It's very possible you and I are in agreement on the principles, but simply splitting hairs on terms and titles. Which is what I've been trying to discover by asking where you stand on those 2 specific fields.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago* (1 child)

    pro-ai people are either already delusional, or they are corporate executives which categorically position them to be a priori delusional to ever land in such a job position.

    Pro-AI folks are useless in the thinking department, so of course they want to force it into everything - to lay off folks, to cut costs on security and quality, and to generate short-term profits and then fuck off once the bubble inevitably buckles under the weight of reality.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
  • [–] 0 points 1 month ago

    Okay, then you don't actually understand my position at all. Would you rather tell me what I believe, and reinforce my assertion that you're misinformed. Or would you like to actually understand my position, and destroy the strawman that you have built?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent