Designer babies. Self-improving AI. Are we ready for either?
A team of scientists has made a breakthrough in editing human embryonic DNA with precision, which could potentially lead to the creation of designer babies. Meanwhile, an AI company has announced that AI is accelerating AI development, which may lead to recursive self-improvement. These advancements have the potential to bring about significant changes to the world, but also raise concerns about their consequences and control.
- ▪Scientists have edited human embryonic DNA with precision using base editors, which could potentially prevent genetic diseases.
- ▪The AI company Anthropic has announced that AI is accelerating AI development, which may lead to recursive self-improvement.
- ▪The possibility of self-improving AI and designer babies raises concerns about their consequences and control.
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Future PerfectDesigner babies. Self-improving AI. Are we ready for either?Two new breakthroughs show how hard it is to know when the world has changed.by Bryan WalshJun 10, 2026, 12:30 PM UTCShareGiftGetty Images/Science Photo LibraBryan Walsh is a senior editorial director at Vox overseeing the Future Perfect and climate teams and writes the Good News newsletter. He worked at Time magazine for 15 years as a foreign correspondent in Asia, a climate writer, and an international editor, and he wrote a book on existential risk.How do we know when the world has changed?On June 1, a team of scientists published a preprint scientific paper claiming they had edited human embryonic DNA with more precision than any previous attempt.
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