The Homestake AI Act, introduced by U.S. Senators Mike Rounds and Martin Heinrich, would establish a pilot program to collect and sequence genomes from organisms thriving in extreme underground environments, potentially accelerating breakthroughs in treating Alzheimer's, diabetes, and cancer through AI analysis. The bipartisan legislation represents the first concrete policy initiative from the American Science Acceleration Project (ASAP), a national effort to make American science ten times faster by 2030.

Why Are Underground Microbes a Treasure Trove for Medicine?

The inspiration for this legislation comes from an unexpected source: the Gila monster. This desert-dwelling reptile survives on just a few meals per year thanks to a digestion-slowing hormone in its venom. Scientists studied this adaptation and eventually developed Ozempic, a blockbuster diabetes medication now used by millions of patients worldwide. The Homestake AI Act applies this same logic to microorganisms living in extreme conditions, reasoning that organisms adapted to survive high heat, pressure, or other harsh environments likely possess unique biological properties that could unlock new medicines.

The legislation specifically targets the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota, located 1,700 feet below the surface. This unique location hosts a wealth of microbial life that has never been systematically catalogued or sequenced. By collecting, preserving, and analyzing these genomes using artificial intelligence, researchers could identify novel compounds and biological mechanisms applicable to human health challenges.

How Would AI Accelerate Genomic Discovery?

The Homestake AI Act would leverage artificial intelligence to process and analyze massive genomic datasets in ways that would be impossible for human researchers alone. Rather than manually reviewing thousands of genetic sequences, AI systems could identify patterns, predict protein functions, and flag promising candidates for drug development at scale. This approach mirrors the success of AlphaFold, the AI system that solved protein structure prediction, which only became possible because researchers spent decades building comprehensive datasets.

The legislation recognizes that the pace of scientific discovery is fundamentally a choice about infrastructure investment. By creating a secure, interoperable collection of genomic data from extreme environments, the act would give American scientists a powerful new resource to accelerate breakthroughs in medicine and other critical fields.

Steps to Building AI-Powered Genomic Research Infrastructure

• Specimen Collection: Systematically gather samples from unique locations exposed to extreme properties such as high heat or pressure, locations at extreme risk of destruction in coming decades, and other environments holding potential for useful organisms.
• Whole Genome Sequencing: Sequence complete genomes and metabolites from collected samples using advanced sequencing technology, creating a comprehensive biological database for AI analysis.
• AI-Driven Cataloguing: Use artificial intelligence to identify, catalog, and analyze genomic and metabolic data, enabling researchers to discover novel compounds and biological mechanisms applicable to human disease treatment.

Who Supports This Initiative?

The Homestake AI Act has garnered backing from major research institutions, technology companies, and policy organizations. Support includes South Dakota State University, the University of South Dakota, South Dakota Mines, Dakota State University, and the Sanford Underground Research Facility itself. Technology leaders including OpenAI and policy organizations like SeedAI have also endorsed the legislation.

"Artificial intelligence is only as powerful as the infrastructure that supports it. The Homestake AI Act recognizes that the next generation of breakthroughs will depend not only on advanced computing, but also on access to rich, high-quality biological data," said Dr. José-Marie Griffiths, Chancellor of Dakota State University.

Dr. José-Marie Griffiths, Chancellor of Dakota State University

Mike Headley, Executive Director of the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority and Lab Director at SURF, emphasized the facility's readiness to support this research. He noted that SURF has a strong track record of supporting leading biological research deep underground and expressed enthusiasm about potentially playing a role in the Extremophile Whole Genome Sequencing Initiative.

"AlphaFold solved protein structure prediction only because researchers spent decades building the dataset behind it. The Homestake AI Act lets us jumpstart that process for genomics, treating untapped genomes as the national resource they are and turning them into an open library for American researchers that could speed new treatments for some of our worst diseases," said Josh New, Director of Policy at SeedAI.

Josh New, Director of Policy at SeedAI

What Makes This Different From Existing Genomics Research?

While genomics research has accelerated dramatically over the past decade, most efforts focus on cataloguing known organisms or studying human genetic variation. The Homestake AI Act takes a different approach by systematically targeting organisms from extreme environments that have never been comprehensively studied. These organisms represent a largely untapped resource for innovation, with genomes and molecular diversity that could yield entirely new classes of therapeutics.

The legislation also emphasizes the strategic importance of this research for American competitiveness. By investing in the systematic collection and analysis of genomic data from extreme environments, the United States can accelerate the development of new therapies, fuel AI-driven scientific breakthroughs, and strengthen the nation's leadership in innovation and economic competitiveness for decades to come.

"We need to leave no stone unturned in the race to discover cures and treatments for cancer, diabetes, and dementia. Our Homestake AI Act will establish a new initiative at the Department of Energy that helps researchers harness the power of AI to identify, catalog, and sequence plants, animals, and microbes that may hold the secret to potential cures and treatments," said Senator Martin Heinrich.

Senator Martin Heinrich, U.S. Senator from New Mexico

The Homestake AI Act represents a strategic bet that nature's most extreme environments hold secrets to treating humanity's most challenging diseases. By combining advanced AI analysis with systematic specimen collection, the legislation aims to transform how researchers discover, develop, and deploy new medicines for conditions that affect millions of Americans.