The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will convene an ad hoc study Committee on Biotechnology Capabilities for National Security Needs--Leveraging Advances in Transdisciplinary Biotechnology, which is associated with the Standing Committee on Advances and National Security Implications of Transdisciplinary Biotechnology, to produce a brief unclassified consensus report and brief, restricted addendum highlighting specific actions for:

• The applicability of AI/ML and automated experimentation for biotechnology discovery and development for various applications, including health and medicine, food and agriculture, industrial materials and chemicals, environmental remediation, and energy production for defense.
• The feasibility of developing a research and development network in the United States that drives biotechnology innovation through the combined application of AL/ML, automation, and biology; development and securing of large volumes of high-quality data sets that can support AI/ML for biotechnology defense innovation; and examples wherein the government communicated its needs and specific requirements clearly and effectively, or ineffectively.
• Future defense capabilities, as forecasted by the Defense Department, that could be achieved through innovative biotechnologies.
• Opportunities for using AI/ML and experimental/laboratory automation to prevent misuse of biotechnology.
• Practical or operational factors (e.g., expertise, infrastructure, laboratory capacity, data sources, computing infrastructure, and policy/governance) needed to enable investments needed to reach the goal of a nationwide network research hubs wherein highly innovative research and development on AI/ML, automation, and biotechnology tools are conducted to address defense problems.

The ad hoc study committee will build on the work from the Standing Committee, which will explore related topics in a series of convenings (e.g., workshop and meetings of experts). The ad hoc study committee's report will focus on artificial intelligence and experimental/laboratory automation in biotechnology research.