The Cloud LAB Act of 2025 creates a new national network of remote-controlled laboratory facilities focused on biotechnology research. These "cloud laboratories" are physical labs equipped with robots and scientific instruments that researchers can control from anywhere, allowing them to run experiments continuously and collect biological data without being physically present.

The bill requires the National Science Foundation to establish and coordinate this network, bringing together labs run by the government, universities, and private companies. The main goals are to help researchers find the specific lab capabilities they need, share best practices on data collection and security, and create a centralized system where biological data from experiments can be collected and made available to authorized researchers. This data would be particularly useful for training artificial intelligence models and advancing biotechnology research.

The program rolls out in phases: first, the NSF will create an implementation plan and advisory board within a year; then it will fund at least 2 new cloud laboratories by year 3, followed by at least 3 more by year 4. Each lab will receive funding for 6-8 years. The bill emphasizes that researchers doing non-commercial work should have free or low-cost access, while companies could pay subscription fees for the service. It also includes strong protections for cybersecurity, biosecurity, and ensuring that smaller institutions and underrepresented groups have fair access to these expensive research tools.