Know Your Scientist: KYC as Biosecurity Infrastructure

TL;DR

This paper proposes a layered KYC framework for biosecurity in AI-driven protein research, shifting from content filtering to user verification and behavioral monitoring to better prevent misuse.

Contribution

It introduces a novel three-tier KYC approach inspired by financial AML practices, enhancing biosecurity by focusing on user verification and monitoring rather than content restrictions.

Findings

Framework can be implemented immediately with existing infrastructure.

Enhances detection of misuse through behavioral monitoring.

Increases accountability via institutional vetting.

Abstract

Biological AI tools for protein design and structure prediction are advancing rapidly, creating dual-use risks that existing safeguards cannot adequately address. Current model-level restrictions, including keyword filtering, output screening, and content-based access denials, are fundamentally ill-suited to biology, where reliable function prediction remains beyond reach and novel threats evade detection by design. We propose a three-tier Know Your Customer (KYC) framework, inspired by anti-money laundering (AML) practices in the financial sector, that shifts governance from content inspection to user verification and monitoring. Tier I leverages research institutions as trust anchors to vouch for affiliated researchers and assume responsibility for vetting. Tier II applies output screening through sequence homology searches and functional annotation. Tier III monitors behavioral patterns to detect anomalies inconsistent with declared research purposes. This layered approach preserves access for legitimate researchers while raising the cost of misuse through institutional accountability and traceability. The framework can be implemented immediately using existing institutional infrastructure, requiring no new legislation or regulatory mandates.