Ghosts in the Genome: AI, CRISPR, and the Illusion of Resurrection

Presenter: Malak A. Al-alamy

Faculty Sponsor: Todd Scherer Drogy

School: UMass Boston

Research Area: Biology

Session: Poster Session 3, 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM, Concourse, B10

ABSTRACT

Recent advances in artificial intelligence and genetic engineering have enabled scientists to attempt the “de-extinction” of species such as the dire wolf, by reconstructing incomplete genomes using machine learning and CRISPR based editing. While these developments are often framed as biological resurrection, this thesis argues that such projects do not truly revive extinct life but instead produce computer-predicted versions that imitate, rather than restore, the original organism. Drawing on current genomic research and philosophical perspectives on causality, consciousness, and identity, this paper examines how AI functions as a predictive tool that fills genetic gaps without understanding evolutionary context or lived experience. Through analysis of the dire wolf case, alongside works by Plato, Annaka Harris, Anil Seth, and others, I argue that intelligence and behavioral accuracy do not equate to consciousness or authentic biological continuity. These reconstructions risk creating organisms that are biologically similar yet ontologically and ethically distinct from their extinct counterparts. Furthermore, reliance on AI introduces concerns about data bias, responsibility, and unintended ecological and moral consequences. Ultimately, this thesis contends that de-extinction reflects an illusion of control over life rather than true resurrection, and calls for greater humility and ethical caution as biotechnology increasingly blurs the boundary between simulation and reality.

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