Update: After this post, Kian Sadeghi at Nucleus wrote about their IQ prediction platform and discussed some of the criticism. Genetic testing compa

Genomic prediction of IQ is modern snake oil

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2025-01-15 21:00:11

Update: After this post, Kian Sadeghi at Nucleus wrote about their IQ prediction platform and discussed some of the criticism.

Genetic testing companies have started to venture into behavioral traits, with predictable controversy. The latest, a startup called Nucleus ( funded in part by Alexis Ohanian and Peter Thiel), recently launched a closed beta for genetic prediction of IQ. The launch started off oddly, debuting on a tech podcast that also featured financial criminal Martin Shkreli (there to discuss a Trump-branded cryptocurrency project), and immediately veered into discussion of embryo selection — a product Nucleus does not offer. The actual product, Nucleus IQ, a genetic predictor for adults which currently only exists publicly as a sign-up screen, drew immediate criticism from biologists ( here, here, here, and by me) as well as the allusions to Gattaca and eugenics that typically swirl around this topic.

Naturally, the founder of Nucleus responded by doubling-down. Penning a long post on the X social network appealing to “ information access and liberty” with dire warnings that “ the suppression of knowledge splinters society, catalyzes misinformation, and undermines our ability to understand ourselves and each other”, a series of “ We believe …” proclamations, a tag of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the promise of “ a golden era in understanding our own biology”, and, finally, an invitation to “ be part of the future, today?”. As some sharply observed, it all felt a bit orchestrated: an over-the-top edgy release to gin up a controversy followed by an over-the-top response about making the world a better place (or maybe to pick up the phone and start dialing, depending on the target audience) .