Bryan Johnson Claims He Created ‘Baby Bryan’ Clone, Scientists Dispute Anti-Ageing Biohacker’s Announcement

Biohacker and anti-ageing influencer Bryan Johnson claims to have cloned himself. The American tech entrepreneur, who spends millions of dollars a year on anti-ageing experiments, took to X on July 21 to introduce “Baby Bryan”, saying it could represent a terrifying dystopian future for some while an essential healthcare breakthrough for others.

Bryan explained that the process involved separating cells from his blood, applying ‘Yamanaka’ factors (a group of four proteins), resetting their epigenetic age, and reprogramming them into an embryonic-like state. He described the resulting cells as “Baby Bryan”, although scientists have disputed his claim that this amounts to creating a human clone.

Bryan said he envisions using the technology to eventually create an organ and cell donor, as well as a “blood boy”, to help reverse the effects of ageing. He also said he hopes to test novel treatments on the cells, which he believes could contribute to the development of new therapeutic approaches.

The announcement comes after Bryan revealed last month that he had been diagnosed with autoimmune gastritis, a condition in which the immune system attacks the acid-producing cells of the stomach. Although there is currently no cure for the condition, treatment and regular monitoring can help manage its complications. Rather than viewing the diagnosis as a setback, Bryan described it as an opportunity.

He said it is one of the best things that has happened to him in a long time, claiming it has opened up new ways for him to improve and strengthen his body.

However, Bryan’s announcement has sparked a strong backlash on social media. Many users described the idea of creating a clone for personal use as unethical. “Creating a clone for the use of someone with a mental illness who is afraid of death is evil,” one social media user wrote. “How can a clone consent to your tactics? What right do you have to use its organs and bleed it for personal gain? Your announcement can only be seen as the definition of parasitism,” another user said.

Scientists have disputed Bryan’s claims, saying he used Yamanaka factors to create induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) rather than a real human clone. They noted that reprogramming cells into stem cells is an established scientific technique and is fundamentally different from cloning an entire human being.