futuristic world map overlaid with glowing DNA strands, neural circuits, and biometric data streams
Biotech entrepreneur Ben Lamm recently made waves on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, warning of a potential new arms race — not in weaponry, but in human genetics. At the center of this alarming forecast is the Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI), a Chinese biotech giant that has quietly been harvesting and analyzing the DNA of millions of people across the globe. According to Lamm, BGI’s long-term objective may be to identify genes linked to intelligence and other advantageous traits, which could set off a global competition in human enhancement with irreversible consequences.
The Quiet Genomics Superpower
BGI is no ordinary research company. Based in Shenzhen, it is one of the largest genomics organizations in the world. With the support of the Chinese state and deep ties to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), BGI has steadily built a massive databank of human DNA samples. Its operations span dozens of countries, and its genetic testing technologies have been offered as affordable — and sometimes free — solutions during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, investigations and intelligence reports suggest a darker motive beneath the surface of this global outreach.
Reuters Exposé: Military Collaboration and the NIFTY Test
A comprehensive investigation by Reuters has uncovered that BGI’s prenatal test, known as NIFTY (Non-Invasive Fetal TrisomY), was developed in collaboration with the Chinese military. Sold in over 50 countries and administered to more than 8 million women, the test not only detects genetic abnormalities in fetuses but also captures DNA from the mothers. This includes highly detailed genomic data as well as metadata like height, weight, and country of origin.
BGI admitted that it stores and re-analyzes this data for research — some of it on military supercomputers. The company has collaborated with the PLA on at least a dozen published studies since 2010, investigating population genetics, altitude sickness in soldiers, hearing loss, and even identifying ethnic genetic markers, including those of Tibetan and Uyghur women.
Though BGI claims no identifiable personal data is stored, its privacy policy allows for data sharing “relevant to national security or national defense security.” China’s national security laws give authorities broad access to private data, and since 2015, foreign researchers have been barred from accessing Chinese genetic data — while China continues collecting abroad.
The Strategic Value of Genetic Data
The U.S. National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI), chaired by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, has warned that China’s access to such vast and diverse genomic datasets provides a significant economic and military advantage. Genetic data is the fuel for both AI-driven pharmaceutical discovery and biological research — including the potential development of enhanced humans or targeted biological agents.
As science advances in identifying the genetic roots of intelligence, emotional regulation, and disease resistance, the ability to map and manipulate these traits could reshape the geopolitical balance. A nation that unlocks these secrets first could use that knowledge to create a new generation of elite citizens — smarter, stronger, and potentially immune to certain diseases or environmental challenges.
Human Enhancement and the Coming Bioethical Crossroads
Ben Lamm emphasizes that if one nation begins genetically modifying its population to enhance intelligence or resilience, others may feel compelled to follow, sparking an irreversible arms race. Unlike conventional arms races, however, this contest involves altering the human germline. These changes would be inherited by future generations, potentially widening the gap between enhanced and non-enhanced populations and institutionalizing inequality on a biological level.
Such a future raises ethical dilemmas: Who decides which genes are “desirable”? Can enhancements be regulated internationally? What rights do non-enhanced people have in a world where genetically optimized individuals become the norm?
The He Jiankui Case: Proof of Concept and Ethical Firestorm
In 2018, Chinese scientist He Jiankui made headlines — and history — by announcing the birth of twin girls whose embryos he had edited using CRISPR-Cas9 to make them resistant to HIV. The news stunned the global scientific community and triggered immediate backlash. International experts condemned the move as unethical, premature, and unsafe. He was accused of acting in pursuit of personal fame, violating both Chinese law and international norms.
In 2019, He was sentenced to three years in prison for illegal medical practices. Despite serving his sentence, he has since resumed research on gene therapies for rare diseases, operating from a new lab in Beijing. His return has drawn cautious scrutiny, with many questioning whether the lessons of his case have truly changed China’s trajectory in genetic experimentation.
Global Scrutiny and Pushback
In light of these revelations, countries around the world have begun re-evaluating their partnerships with Chinese biotech firms. The U.S. has blacklisted BGI subsidiaries and classified the company as a military-linked enterprise. Canada, the EU, and Australia have also increased restrictions on genetic data sharing and foreign biotech investments.
The broader scientific community has called for stronger international regulation to prevent the misuse of genetic technologies and to ensure transparency and consent in all forms of genomic data collection. The world is now grappling with an urgent question: How do we balance the promise of genetic science with the peril of its potential misuse?
futuristic world map overlaid with glowing DNA strands, neural circuits, and biometric data streams
Sources and Further Reading:
- Reuters: China’s gene giant harvests data from millions of pregnant women
- BBC: China scientist who edited babies’ genes jailed for three years
- AP News: US rivalry with China expands to biotech
- Barron’s: Illumina Stock Drops as China Bans Imports of Gene Sequencing Tech
- Wired: Even China Roundly Condemns Editing the Genes of Babies
- Washington Post: China harvested COVID-19 DNA data from the world
- Axios: Chinese test maker agreed to build Xinjiang gene bank
- Wikipedia: BGI Group
