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Vikram Venkatram

@vikramvenkatram.bsky.social
203 followers 370 following 64 posts

Research Analyst at @CSETGeorgetown on the Biotechnology team. Georgetown Center for Security Studies and Georgetown School of Foreign Service alum.

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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
I'm honored to have had the opportunity to appear on BBC News last Thursday to discuss the biosecurity implications of the recent Anthropic report on detecting and countering misuse of AI! A clip from my appearance is below: give it a watch! @csetgeorgetown.bsky.social
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Mina Narayanan @minanrn.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
What exactly is an AI regulatory sandbox & what is it supposed to achieve? Our latest @csetgeorgetown.bsky.social @emergingtechobs.bsky.social AGORA blog unpacks how AI reg. sandboxes in Utah & Texas work, comparing oversight, testing limits, & reporting requirements. eto.tech/blog/agora-s...
eto.tech
Exploring State AI Governance in AGORA #2: AI Regulatory Sandboxes – Emerging Technology Observatory
State AI regulatory sandbox features
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Excited to have been quoted in a great piece by @ambertongpw.bsky.social and Karoline Kan for Bloomberg News! The piece discusses China's prioritization of biological data and biobank infrastructure. Here is a gift link to the article- check it out! www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
bloomberg.com
China Races to Build Record Biobank to Rival US Drugs Research
The massive infrastructure push has taken on greater urgency since the US and EU began excluding Chinese scientists from accessing some of its most sensitive data
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CSET @csetgeorgetown.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
✨New Report✨ Recommendations on AI are everywhere, practical implementation guidance is not. Our latest report synthesizes 1,200+ resources into an actionable, structured guide to adopting AI systems. Read more ⬇️ cset.georgetown.edu/publication/...
cset.georgetown.edu
Operationalizing AI Guidance: A Reference Guide for Translating High-Level Goals into Practical Implementation | Center for Security and Emerging Technology
Organizations face growing pressure to adopt artificial intelligence, but often lack practical guidance on how to do so effectively. This report bridges the gap between high-level principles and real-...
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
The White House just put out a new National Policy Framework for AI. Check out this @csetgeorgetown.bsky.social piece by @minanrn.bsky.social, @jessicaji.bsky.social, and myself on its key components and how it fits into the administration's priorities! cset.georgetown.edu/article/unpa...
cset.georgetown.edu
Unpacking the White House National Policy Framework for AI | Center for Security and Emerging Technology
CSET researchers share their early analysis of the White House's AI Policy Framework and what the prospects are for near-term legislative action on AI.
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
This is an excellent piece discussing AI's impact on biorisk, offering a great distillation of key topics. Definitely worth a read! (And I'm not surprised it's great, given that @csetgeorgetown.bsky.social's own @stephbatalis.bsky.social is quoted!) www.transformernews.ai/p/ai-biorisk...
transformernews.ai
How worried should we be about AI biorisk?
The barriers to bioattacks are hard to identify — and it's even harder to know whether AI is reducing them
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Excited to share a new op-ed by @minanrn.bsky.social, @jessicaji.bsky.social, and myself for the National Interest! The administration's new AI Executive Order, aiming to suppress state-level AI regulation, risks undermining the innovation it seeks to advance. nationalinterest.org/blog/techlan...
nationalinterest.org
The Complicated Politics of Trump’s New AI Executive Order
The administration’s attempt to suppress state AI regulation risks legal backlash, bipartisan resistance, and public distrust, undermining the innovation it seeks to advance.  The Trump administration...
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
With all sorts of new biotechnologies expanding what's possible in the life sciences, what's the best approach for the next era of biosecurity? Check out this new op-ed by @stephbatalis.bsky.social and myself for the 80th anniversary of @thebulletin.org! thebulletin.org/premium/2025...
thebulletin.org
Use all the tools of the trade: Building a foundation for the next era of biosecurity
The coming era of biosecurity will demand a broader and more adaptive approach as AI, powerful biological engineering techniques, and globalized scientific research drive progress in biotechnology.
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
Check out my new @csetgeorgetown.bsky.social report, written alongside @minanrn.bsky.social, @jessicaji.bsky.social, and Ngor Luong! cset.georgetown.edu/publication/... Identifying assumptions can help policymakers make informed, flexible decisions about AI under uncertainty.
cset.georgetown.edu
AI Governance at the Frontier | Center for Security and Emerging Technology
This report presents an analytic approach to help U.S. policymakers deconstruct artificial intelligence governance proposals by identifying their underlying assumptions, which are the foundational ele...
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 25/07/2025
More on the recent AI Action Plan! @csetgeorgetown.bsky.social work is very relevant.
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
Yesterday's new AI Action Plan has a lot worth discussing! One interesting aspect is its statement that the federal government should withhold AI-related funding from states with "burdensome AI regulations." This could be cause for concern.
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
Really timely breakdown of today's big AI Action Plan release, by @csetgeorgetown.bsky.social's own @alexfriedland.bsky.social! Give it a read, I think it's really useful.
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
Banning state-level AI regulation is a bad idea! One crucial reason is that states play a critical role in building AI governance infrastructure. Check out this new op-ed by @jessicaji.bsky.social, myself, and @minanrn.bsky.social on this topic! thehill.com/opinion/tech...
thehill.com
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 02/06/2025
Antimicrobial resistance is a huge issue and an oft-forgotten killer. It kills more people each year than HIV/AIDS or malaria. This article is fascinating- it points out that while much of the AMR prevention discussion focuses on overuse of antimicrobials, underuse can also be a major issue.
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Steph Batalis @stephbatalis.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
"Red-teaming" isn't a catch-all term (or methodology!) to evaluate AI safety. So, what else do we have in the toolbox? In our recent blog post, we explore the different questions we can ask about safety, how we can start to measure them, and what it means for AIxBio. Check it out! ⬇️
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
Amidst all the discussion about AI safety, how exactly do we figure out whether a model is safe? There's no perfect method, but safety evaluations are the best tool we have. That said, different evals answer different questions about a model!
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Steph Batalis @stephbatalis.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
News like this isn't just a concern for public health practitioners - it should also be a big red flag for U.S. national security folks. America's biodefense strategy uses robust health infrastructure to deter bad actors. Right now, we're tearing down our own defenses so adversaries don't have to.
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Steph Batalis @stephbatalis.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
🚨 Latest op-ed is out in Defense One! “Dismantling critical preparedness offices, cutting infrastructure and funding, and allowing misinformation to derail the response are not just bad for healthcare—they’re dangerous national security signals.” www.defenseone.com/ideas/2025/0...
defenseone.com
America’s response to measles is eroding its ability to deter biological attacks
The rising death toll for a preventable disease reveals just how ill-prepared the country is to handle a malicious bioweapon.
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
Have you heard of the Bayh-Dole Act? It's niche, but an incredibly important factor in the U.S. innovation ecosystem! For the National Interest, @jack-corrigan.bsky.social and I discuss a potential change that could benefit public access to medical drugs. nationalinterest.org/blog/techlan...
nationalinterest.org
Trump Should Not Abandon March-In Rights
Moving forward with the Biden administration’s guidance could deliver lower drug prices and allow more Americans to reap the benefits of public science. In late 2023, the federal government published ...
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 07/04/2025
For @thebulletin.org, @stephbatalis.bsky.social and I break down the choices that DNA synthesis companies have to make when they screen customers- deciding how much expertise is enough. If you were in their shoes, where would you draw the line? Check it out here! thebulletin.org/2025/04/how-...
thebulletin.org
How to stop bioterrorists from buying dangerous DNA
The companies that sell synthesized DNA to scientists need to screen their customers, lest dangerous sequences for pathogens or toxins fall into the wrong hands.
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Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists @thebulletin.org · 07/04/2025
Companies that sell synthesized DNA need to screen their customers, lest sequences for pathogens or toxins fall into the wrong hands. How? Here are three recommendations. "How to stop bioterrorists from buying dangerous DNA," by @stephbatalis.bsky.social and @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social. ⬇️
thebulletin.org
How to stop bioterrorists from buying dangerous DNA
The companies that sell synthesized DNA to scientists need to screen their customers, lest dangerous sequences for pathogens or toxins fall into the wrong hands.
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 27/03/2025
Some CSET highlights from this year!
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
@csetgeorgetown.bsky.social just put out our AI Action Plan Response. It's a great summary of some of CSET's key recommendations on various aspects of AI policy! cset.georgetown.edu/publication/... Re: AI x bio policy, the piece mentions a few of our key findings. I'd like to discuss them here:
cset.georgetown.edu
CSET's Recommendations for an AI Action Plan | Center for Security and Emerging Technology
In response to the Office of Science and Technology Policy's request for input on an AI Action Plan, CSET provides key recommendations for advancing AI research, ensuring U.S. competitiveness, and max...
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
A really great and insightful data-driven piece from my colleague @stephbatalis.bsky.social, underscoring the importance of NIH and NSF funding for biotech. Worth a read!
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 22/01/2025
With a changing landscape for AI and emerging tech policy, there's no better time to start following my @csetgeorgetown.bsky.social colleagues. We publish evidence-based, data-driven, and analytically rigorous work on a wide range of tech policy topics! Follow us here: bsky.app/starter-pack...
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
This is a fantastic new report from @stephbatalis.bsky.social! It breaks down how AI specifically impacts biorisk, and discusses the particular policy tools usable at each stage to reduce risk. Definitely worth a read!
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Reposted by Vikram Venkatram
Dewey Murdick @deweyam.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
Worried about biological threats in the age of AI? A new report from @stephbatalis.bsky.social breaks down the steps into planning and design to execution phases. Understanding these pathways can help us implement safeguards and promote innovation. More: cset.georgetown.edu/publication/...
cset.georgetown.edu
Anticipating Biological Risk: A Toolkit for Strategic Biosecurity Policy | Center for Security and Emerging Technology
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools pose exciting possibilities to advance scientific, biomedical, and public health research. At the same time, these tools have raised concerns about their potential t...
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Vikram Venkatram @vikramvenkatram.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
Chemical and biological AI models vary in type, with different users, use cases, outputs, and capabilities. Each needs targeted safety evaluations. Check out my and @stephbatalis.bsky.social's new response to a NIST/AISI RFI on chem-bio models! cset.georgetown.edu/publication/...
cset.georgetown.edu
RFI Response: Safety Considerations for Chemical and/or Biological AI Models | Center for Security and Emerging Technology
Dr. Steph Batalis and Vikram Venkatram offered the following comment in response to the National Institute of Standards and Technology's request for information on safety considerations for chemical a...
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