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Anthropic's Claude AI finds unknown enzyme system ART

Discovery by US startup's AI model could represent a new gene editing mechanism, researchers say.

AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Published
The Claude logo is seen in an illustration created on June 5, 2026 [File: Dado Ruvic/Reuters]

What this story says

  • US artificial intelligence company Anthropic announced its AI model Claude has identified a previously unknown enzyme system, dubbed ART, in bacterial DNA.
  • Anthropic stated its AI agents searched DNA sequences for 21 hours, finding over 200,000 genes and identifying 20 for further examination.
  • The newly identified ART system has an unknown function, but initial experiments suggest it could be programmable, similar to CRISPR.
  • Feng Zhang, a CRISPR pioneer, called the discovery "genuinely intriguing" and said it "merits further investigation."

Who covered it

Left 19%(6)Centre 34%(11)Right 47%(15)

Percentages are shares of the 32 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 44 of the 76 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .

Trust

58/100

Craft

68/100

Hype

48/100

76 sources · methodology

US artificial intelligence startup Anthropic announced on Wednesday the discovery of a previously unknown enzyme system spotted by its AI model Claude. The company stated this is the first discovery from its molecular biology lab and suggested it could represent a new gene editing mechanism. Anthropic's AI agents reportedly combed through DNA sequences for 21 hours, identifying more than 200,000 genes and selecting 20 for closer examination. This process, according to Anthropic, would take human scientists weeks or months.

The newly identified system, which Anthropic has dubbed ART, was found in viruses that infect bacteria. While its exact function remains unknown, initial experiments suggest ART could be programmable, a characteristic shared with the gene-editing technology CRISPR. The findings have been published as a preprint and have not yet undergone peer review. Feng Zhang, a pioneer in CRISPR technology, described the identification of the repeated DNA fragments as "genuinely intriguing" and stated it "merits further investigation."

Disagreement on scientific significance

Al Jazeera reported that Kevin Blake, a microbiologist, expressed skepticism regarding the scientific significance of the discovery. Blake stated there is nothing to indicate that ART is a rival to CRISPR-the-technology, distinguishing between the natural CRISPR system in bacteria and the gene-editing tool developed by scientists. Other reports, such as those from El Mundo and abc, noted that it is not a 'new CRISPR' and its usefulness for editing DNA has not yet been demonstrated.

Omissions in coverage

None of the right-rated reports below mention the specific detail that Anthropic's AI agents identified over 200,000 genes and picked out 20 for closer examination. The left-rated reports also do not mention this specific figure.

Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 5 times, most recently on 24 Sept 2026, 15:30, and will add the sides that appear.

How each side covered it

Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.

Left

6 rated outlets

  • Left-rated reports highlighted Anthropic's announcement of the discovery of a new enzyme system by its Claude AI model. Al Jazeera noted the system could "represent a new gene editing mechanism" similar to CRISPR and quoted CEO Dario Amodei suggesting AI could lead to medical breakthroughs. IBTimes UK reported that Claude found a "Hidden DNA System With CRISPR-Like Features That Could Cut, Copy and Paste Genetic Material." IndexHR stated the discovery was the "First Major Discovery in Biology" by Anthropic's lab.

Centre

11 rated outlets

  • Centre-rated reports focused on Anthropic's announcement of the discovery of a novel enzyme system with AI assistance. Hindustan Times reported that the Claude model spotted the system, which Anthropic touted as proof AI can speed up basic research. Quartz mentioned the AI model ran for 21 hours across nearly 1,000 agent sessions before flagging the system. Reuters stated Claude AI "helped discover novel enzyme system" with properties reminiscent of CRISPR. France24 framed the discovery around "What Did Claude Find in the Biology Finding and Why Is It Important?"

Right

15 rated outlets

  • Right-rated reports led with Anthropic's announcement of a new enzyme system discovered by its AI, often noting its similarity to CRISPR. El Mundo reported the AI discovered a "New Enzyme System so Far Unknown and Similar to the Genetic Clip-Stick." The Straits Times stated Anthropic AI discovers new enzyme system in biology, potentially linked to gene editing. India Today reported Claude AI discovers new CRISPR-like gene editing system, Anthropic says, adding the finding could point to a new tool for gene editing. CNBC-TV18 highlighted that the discovery "hints at gene-editing breakthrough."

Questions about this coverage

How did the left and right cover Anthropic's Claude AI finds unknown enzyme system ART?
Of the 32 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 19% are rated left, 34% are rated centre, 47% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 76. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
Is Anthropic's Claude AI finds unknown enzyme system ART left or right?
Neither side dominates it. Of the 32 rated outlets on this story, 19% are rated left, 34% are rated centre, 47% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
Is the coverage of Anthropic's Claude AI finds unknown enzyme system ART biased?
Anthropic's Claude AI finds unknown enzyme system ART is one event reported by 76 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
Which outlets covered Anthropic's Claude AI finds unknown enzyme system ART?
76 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
What did Anthropic's AI model Claude discover?
Anthropic announced that its AI model Claude has identified a previously unknown enzyme system, which the company has named ART. This discovery was made in the DNA of viruses that infect bacteria and is the first from Anthropic's molecular biology lab.
What is the significance of the ART enzyme system?
The exact function of the ART system is currently unknown. However, initial experiments suggest it could be programmable, similar to the gene-editing technology CRISPR. Researchers are investigating its potential as a new gene editing mechanism.
How long did the AI take to find this system?
Anthropic stated that its AI agents searched through DNA sequences for 21 hours to identify the ART enzyme system. The company suggested this automated process significantly speeds up basic research compared to traditional human scientific methods.
Is this discovery a new CRISPR?
While the ART system shares some characteristics with CRISPR, such as potential programmability, its scientific significance and practical applications are still under investigation. Some experts have expressed skepticism about it being a direct rival to CRISPR-the-technology.

Read it at the source

76 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.

Left

6

Centre

11
Show 3 more

Right

15
Show 7 more

Not rated

44
Show 36 more

How did this read?

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Anthropic AI Discovers Enzyme System | MediaBias News