U.S. policy on some technologies like bioweapons was anticipatory, motivated by recognizing that bioweapons technology would get cheaper and more accessible, making it strategically preferable for the U.S. to prevent proliferation through the Bioweapons Convention rather than allowing universal access to mass death capabilities, which is why the U.S. unilaterally dropped bioweapons and encouraged other nations to do the same.
factualpending
Speaker
Jeff AlstottEvidence Quote
“An example of this is the Bioweapons Convention, where folks within the U.S. government appreciated that bioweapons technology was going to get cheaper and cheaper and that it was not useful for the U.S., for everybody with a dollar in their pocket, to be able to launch a bio attack”
Source
Artificial General Intelligence's Five Hard National Security Problems— The Berkman Klein Center for Internet & SocietyCreated: 8/11/2026, 7:41:23 AM
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