An open letter, In Support of Mandatory Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening and Recordkeeping, published late on the evening of June 3, 2026, and signed by life sciences researchers, technologists, national security experts, and former White House officials, is calling for mandatory screening of synthetic nucleic acids. This effort is significant because it highlights that screening is a rare point of consensus for a wide coalition of science and technology experts and is widely seen as both pro-AI and pro-safety.
From the CEOs of the major labs to AI skeptics and safety organizations to luminaries in the life sciences, public health, and national security, there is wide agreement that we need stronger screening guardrails. The letter calls on U.S. lawmakers to codify mandatory nucleic acid synthesis screening, including recordkeeping, in order to combat the development of biological weapons at the scale of AI. The open letter reads as follows:
While the issue is not new, the pace of progress in artificial intelligence is. AI systems now outperform PhD-level virologists on questions about highly technical laboratory procedures in their own domains of expertise. The evidence about what this means for present-day biosecurity threats is genuinely mixed, but the trend is hard to dispute. AI systems are improving rapidly, and alongside incredible benefits to science and medicine, there is a real possibility that the knowledge barriers which have historically prevented bad actors from obtaining biological weapons will meaningfully erode.
Support for screening does not depend on any particular view of AI; the biosecurity case has been recognized by scientists and governments for decades. Screening is also one of the best understood and least disruptive biosecurity measures available. It asks providers of synthesized DNA and manufacturers of synthesis machines to check synthesis requests for sequences of concern and to verify customer legitimacy before shipping orders. Providers should also record synthesis orders and sequence data to support legitimate biosecurity investigations, so that any threat that might evade initial screening can be traced back to its source—including when individual sequences would not raise concern in isolation. Awareness of traceability itself deters misuse.
Many of the largest and most responsible providers in the industry already screen and record orders voluntarily because it is well understood that they have an important role to play in maintaining public trust in and mitigating potential misuse of this important technology.
For these reasons, the undersigned support mandatory nucleic acid synthesis screening, including recordkeeping, in the United States.
Given the pace at which the underlying technology is changing, we believe the need is urgent. Congress should act this session, and we applaud the legislative efforts currently underway. To ensure a consistent national standard rather than a patchwork of conflicting laws, states should also consider implementing requirements based on existing federal and industry guidelines.
This is a rare moment of agreement across stakeholders who are often at odds. We hope policymakers will meet it with decisive action.
You can find the full list of signatories and the letter here. I am a media consultant working with the two organizations that are the primary organizers of the letter: the Institute for Progress (IFP) and the Foundation for American Innovation (FAI). The best email contact regarding the open letter is [email protected].
Carrie Hutcheson is senior director of the Glen Echo Group in Washington, DC.
