HackTalk: Kevin Esvelt - Keynote on AIxBio and Responsible Disclosure

​Keynote: Kevin Esvelt (MIT Media Lab)

​AIxBio and Responsible Disclosure

​Opening keynote of the AIxBio Hackathon. Recording available after.

​The AIxBio Hackathon opens with a keynote from a leading researcher on dual-use biology and biosecurity.

​Kevin M. Esvelt is an associate professor at the MIT Media Lab, where he directs the Sculpting Evolution Group. In 2013, he was the first to identify the potential for CRISPR gene drive systems to alter wild populations, and he broke with scientific tradition by calling for open discussion and safeguards before any lab demonstrated the technology. His current work focuses on catastrophic biorisk mitigation: he co-founded SecureDNA, a cryptographic platform for universal DNA synthesis screening, and helped develop the Nucleic Acid Observatory, a global early-warning system for biological threats.

​He'll share how he thinks about the AIxBio threat landscape, what responsible disclosure looks like when dual-use research meets rapidly improving models, and where hackathon projects can make a real contribution. The talk includes a segment on infohazard awareness for participants.

​Format: 25 min talk + 20 min Q&A.

​Opens the AIxBio Hackathon.