What happened in this episode?
Peter Diamandis speaks with entrepreneur Ben Lamm about Colossal Biosciences’ de-extinction ambitions, the near-term limits of AI in biology, and how genome engineering could change conservation and biosecurity. Lamm describes coming to synthetic biology as a non-specialist and relying on collaborators including Harvard geneticist George Church. He argues that, in the short run, large language models are most useful for bridging scientific “language” problems in the literature and for suggesting experimental designs, but that wet-lab validation remains essential.
On capability timelines, Lamm predicts a shift towards “promptable” biology as DNA synthesis and editing scale, saying a world where organisms can be designed for desired traits is “less than 10 years” away. He also claims Colossal has moved from celebrating ~20 edits to delivering “300 plus at 90 plus% efficiency” and is testing 1,000-edit workflows.
A major focal point is gestation technology. Asked about artificial wombs, Lamm differentiates technological feasibility from societal acceptance, and predicts Colossal will birth non-human mammals entirely ex utero within 24 months. The conversation also turns to ethics and animal welfare: Lamm says Colossal considers ecological function, reasons for extinction, educational value, and indigenous perspectives when choosing targets, and he describes funding work on elephant social rearing and migration-corridor data.
On policy and infrastructure, Lamm says Colossal is building a global ‘bio vault’ approach, citing work in Dubai and a partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and mentions two additional government partners not yet named. He argues biodiversity loss could reach half of species within 25 years and calls for billions in public funding to “back up life.”
