Bio Plus X : [electronic resource] arms control and the convergence of biology and emerging technologies / Kolja Brockmann, Sibylle Bauer and Vincent Boulanin

SIP1923

E-bok

"March 2019".

Technological advances in the biological sciences have long presented a challenge to efforts to maintain biosecurity and prevent the proliferation of biological weapons. The convergence of developments in biotechnology with other, emerging technologies such as additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence and robotics has increased the possibilities for the development and use of biological weapons. This report, written by SIPRI experts on technology and arms control, provides a nuanced picture of the risks and challenges posed by this convergence. It analyses the extent to which concerns arising from new technological developments can be dealt with through existing governance mechanisms. Based on the limitations identified, the authors recommend the action that needs to be taken by national governments, international organizations, academia, the private sector and the DIY community.

This report builds on past research by the authors on additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence and robotics, and on arms control, dual-use and arms trade controls, and military and security technologies. It is also based on information collected through interviews and communication with representatives of national authorities and technical experts from companies, universities and research institutes. In putting together this research report the authors’ work was greatly informed by the discussions during a breakout session on ‘Bio plus X’ during the 2018 Stockholm Security Conference and by three background technical briefing papers produced by Dr Elisabeth Bohm and Dr Filippa Lentzos, Dr Eleonore Pauwels, and Professor Sergey Zavriev. The authors would like to thank the German Federal Foreign Office for providing the funding that allowed this report to be produced. They would also like to thank all those who agreed to share their expertise and particularly those who attended the Stockholm Security Conference in September 2018. Finally, the authors would like to thank their colleague Mark Bromley and the two external reviewers for their detailed comments on the report. The authors are grateful to Dr David A. Cruickshank and the SIPRI Editorial Department for their work. All errors are entirely the responsibility of the authors.

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