Not long ago, bringing an extinct species back to life belonged to science fiction. Today, it's the mission of a billion-dollar startup. Advances in artificial intelligence, genetics, and computational biology are expanding what's possible in conservation research โ and raising questions that extend far beyond the laboratory. If technology can help revive extinct species, should it? And what role should AI play in shaping the future of biodiversity?
Can We Engineer Nature's Comeback?
Those are the questions at the center of "Can We Engineer Nature's Comeback?", a Real World AI Stage fireside chat at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.
Ben Lamm on De-Extinction and AI
Joining the conversation is Ben Lamm, Co-Founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences, a company pioneering efforts to bring extinct species back through advances in synthetic biology and AI. Rather than focusing solely on the science, the discussion explores the technologies behind de-extinction, the role AI now plays in modern biology, and the growing debate over whether engineering nature represents a conservation breakthrough โ or a distraction from protecting the ecosystems we already have.
As AI models become increasingly capable of modeling complex genetic systems, the line between computational prediction and biological intervention continues to blur. Colossal's work sits at that intersection, applying machine learning to gene editing and species reconstruction at a scale that was unthinkable just a decade ago.
Why This Conversation Matters in 2026
With global biodiversity under mounting pressure and AI investment in the life sciences accelerating, the stakes of this debate have never been higher. Whether de-extinction technologies ultimately serve as a tool for ecosystem restoration โ or divert attention and resources from protecting what remains โ is a question the conservation and tech communities must confront together.
via TechCrunch AI