DeepMind watermarks AI-designed proteins in Nature paper

On Sept. 30, 2026 Google DeepMind introduced SynthID Bio, a proof of concept for watermarking AI-generated protein sequences and predicted structures while preserving function, in a Nature paper and company blog. Wet-lab tests on VEGF-A, SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD and PD-L1 binders matched unwatermarked hit rates and affinities. Nature's news account notes the mark can still be erased by redesign; DeepMind calls tamper resistance a remaining challenge and is open-sourcing code and in vitro data.