AI and synthetic biology are fueling a startup's push to resurrect extinct species

What once seemed impossible—reviving animals that vanished from Earth—is now the business of a well-funded startup. Breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, genetics, and computational approaches to biology have made de-extinction a tangible pursuit, shifting the conversation from laboratory dreams to real-world implications. But alongside the technical possibilities comes an uncomfortable question: just because we can bring extinct species back, should we?

Where artificial intelligence meets living systems#

Machine learning has already transformed software engineering, robotics, and research across disciplines. Biology represents the next frontier. Scientists are increasingly using AI to decode genetic sequences, simulate biological processes, and speed up discovery timelines. Startups like Colossal Biosciences are taking this further, marrying AI capabilities with synthetic biology to tackle challenges that researchers previously dismissed as pure fiction.

This convergence matters beyond the laboratory. When AI ventures into the natural world—engineering genomes and imagining ecosystems—the stakes expand. For entrepreneurs working in deep tech and life sciences, understanding how leading companies navigate these intersections offers crucial insight into solving problems most organizations haven't dared attempt.

De-extinction as a conservation bet#

Colossal Biosciences, founded and led by Ben Lamm, sits at the center of this emerging landscape. Lamm has spent over 20 years founding companies at the intersection of cutting-edge AI and emerging technologies, building ventures around enterprise AI, infrastructure challenges, and intelligent conversation systems—all acquired by major players before he pivoted to what many consider his most ambitious venture yet.

His track record building companies through acquisitions by Trive Capital, LivePerson, and Accenture shows an entrepreneur willing to tackle hard problems. De-extinction represents his most unconventional bet: treating the resurrection of lost species as a tool for biodiversity and climate resilience.

The bigger debate beneath the headlines#

Resurrecting a single extinct animal generates excitement and skepticism in equal measure. Yet the underlying questions may ultimately matter more. As AI embeds itself into scientific discovery, conversations about these tools inevitably move beyond software into medicine, biology, climate action, and ecosystem management. Each advance opens possibilities but also demands scrutiny: How should these technologies be deployed? Who decides their application? Are we solving the right problems?