The application of AI to genomics raises ‘urgent’ ethical questions, early findings suggest

In recent years, interest in and funding for both for AI and for genomics has grown. The UK Government has made explicit plans to become ‘the most advanced genomic healthcare system in the world’, listing AI as one of the five ‘critical technologies’ it believes can make our country a 'scientific superpower'.

The application of AI to genomics, dubbed ‘AI-powered genomics’ could have several uses in healthcare. For example, analysis of a person’s genetic make-up could be used to inform the ‘personalisation’ of their treatment plan or could assist in predicting the probability of them developing a certain health condition.

Our DNA.I report identifies the latter of these scenarios, ‘AI-powered genomic health prediction’, as an emerging area of development that warrants urgent ethical consideration, especially as analysis suggests it could become a viable technology in the next 5-10 years.

This report captures our early findings from AI and genomics futures, our joint research project with the Ada Lovelace Institute. The next stage of our work will involve public deliberation to better understand the implications of these and test whether we are prepared as a country to navigate the new waters ahead. The findings will be used to develop firmer conclusions and recommendations for policymakers who are setting regulatory agendas for AI and for genomics. We look forward to sharing the final report from this next phase of research in 2024.

Professor Dave Archard, Chair of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, said: