Bringing Extinct Species Back: The Role of AI in Conservation
In brief
- A startup is using artificial intelligence and synthetic biology to try reviving extinct species, sparking a debate about whether this technology should be used for conservation or if it distracts from protecting existing ecosystems.
- Ben Lamm, CEO of Colossal Biosciences, will discuss these issues at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.
- The event will explore how AI is transforming biology and what it means when technology moves beyond digital systems into the natural world.
- This conversation highlights the potential of AI in conservation while questioning its role in biodiversity efforts.
- As Colossal pushes forward with its ambitious goals, the discussion will shed light on both the opportunities and challenges ahead.
Terms in this brief
- synthetic biology
- A field that combines biology and engineering to redesign organisms for useful purposes by altering their genetic material. It's like taking nature's building blocks and using them to create new life forms or improve existing ones, which could help in bringing back extinct species.
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