Before taking a decision on the deregulation of plants derived from new genomic techniques (NGTs), we are inviting political decision makers to take a look into the future of technological development, and to consider simple truths: Innovation in plant breeding and agriculture is necessary to meet new challenges. However, protecting our homeland biodiversity and nature should also be seen as something we should all strive for together. Experts warn that the ongoing convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and genetic engineering (GE) can lead to organisms that “have the potential to produce a set of novel, hard-to-predict effects. Forecasting how bespoke genomes will behave is incredibly difficult.” Once released, the genetic changes “could be out in live beings potentially for millennia, far beyond any control or prediction. They might reverberate down countless generations.” These concerns are also relevant for discussion about NGT plants. The current proposal for future regulation would lead to an accelerated release of NGT 1 plants that are largely different to plants known from conventional breeding and can persist, propagate and spread in the environment. These already include, among others, thale cress, camelina, foxtail, mustard, rapeseed, pennycress, poplar, ryegrass, rice, switchgrass, and wild strawberries. The risks documented so far include NGT plants – with major changes in plant composition that pose risks for the food chain and pollinators; – that may become invasive; – that may weaken the natural populations after crossing out; – that may change the composition of soil organisms with unintended outcomes. Testbiotech will present a new report about the convergence of of genetic engineering and artificial intelligence (AI) and point out its specific relevance for the discussion about future regulation of NGT plants.

Speakers:

• Dr. Matthias Juhas, Testbiotech: Main findings from the new report about the convergence of genetic engineering and AI.

• Dr. Christoph Then, Testbiotech: How will AI will shape the future of NGT plants and its impact on regulation.

• Professor Dr. Katja Tielbörger, University of Tübingen: Building common ground to understand the risks to ecosystems.

• Dr. Guy Reeves, Save our Seeds (SOS), formerly Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology (MPI): Outlook on new deregulation initiatives covering genetically engineered micro-organisms.

• Jim Thomas, Scanthehorizon.org, European AI and Society Fund Fellow, formerly ETC Group: Discussion of the economics of gene-editing & AI: who is driving this technological convergence?