Integrating CRISPR With AI: Challenges and Opportunities in the Global Regulatory Landscape for Gene-Edited Crops

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with CRISPR technology is poised to revolutionize agriculture by developing precise, transgene-free gene-edited crops with improved traits, tackling global issues like food security, sustainable agriculture, and climate change. This transformation necessitates a re-evaluation and updating of regulatory frameworks for CRISPR-edited crops, which currently vary widely, with some countries approving certain gene-edited crops while others, like the EU and New Zealand, remain indecisive.

As AI enhances gene-editing innovations, it challenges existing regulations but also offers crucial benefits. AI can improve the precision, safety, and transparency of regulatory processes, helping address global challenges. Regulatory bodies can use AI to analyze large datasets and predict editing outcomes, assessing risks such as off-target effects and environmental impacts. AI simulations can predict long-term environmental impacts, aiding decision-making before commercial approval.

AI automation in regulatory approvals can reduce the time and costs of bringing gene-edited crops to market. This dynamic approach keeps regulations up to date with technological advances like Bridge-RNA. AI can also help differentiate between gene-editing types, suggesting regulatory measures aligned with natural mutation processes.

Combining AI with blockchain technology in regulatory frameworks can ensure traceability from lab to market, promote international data sharing, and reduce inconsistencies across national regulations. This synergy aims for a universal, scalable regulatory framework for gene-edited crops.

The Research Topic "AI-Driven Regulatory Landscapes for Gene-Edited Crops: Challenges and Opportunities" in Frontiers in Plant Science will explore AI's role in regulatory frameworks for CRISPR-edited crops, seeking a comprehensive understanding of its impact on regulation and innovation within CRISPR-Cas technology.

Despite CRISPR-Cas advancements, challenges in commercialization persist due to off-target effects, inefficient delivery, and fragmented regulations. AI presents an opportunity to reshape the global regulatory landscape, enabling precise risk assessment and data-driven decisions for complex genetic modifications. This study addresses the need for adaptive policies that support sustainable agriculture while fostering public safety and trust.

The goal of this Research Topic is to explore the emerging role of AI in the regulatory frameworks of the CRISPR edited crops, focusing primarily on the transformative role of AI in development, implementation, and evolution of regulatory frameworks. Another goal is to foster a comprehensive understanding of how AI will reshape the future of gene-edited crops regulation while also contributing to innovation and new developments in CRISPR-Cas. This involves:

1. Understanding the global regulatory frameworks for gene-edited crops.

2. Regulatory challenges and ethical considerations associated with gene-edited crops

3. Highlighting the emerging role of AI in streamlining the regulatory processes of gene-edited crops to enhance the specificity with reduced unintended mutations

4. Summarizing the role of AI in predicting editing outcomes

5. Showcasing the reports where AI has been successfully integrated into CRISPR to improve efficiency efficacy and minimize off-targets

6. Highlighting the reports where AI was integrated with regulatory frameworks of gene-edited

7. Summarizing the potential advancement and future role of AI in reshaping the regulatory framework of gene-edited crops

8. Exploring AI's role in reducing the time and cost of regulation for gene-edited crops.

9. Highlighting the potential of AI to develop a universal, evidence-based, and scalable regulatory framework for gene-edited crops to ensure safety, transparency, and responsibility.

This Research Topic provides a comprehensive overview of how AI can transform regulatory practices, ensuring that gene-edited crops are developed and deployed safely and efficiently.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
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Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: CRISPR, AI Gene Editing, Regulatory Framework

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.