A former White House official has suggested that the United States must prepare for extreme measures to prevent China from developing artificial general intelligence (AGI). Jacob Stokes, who serves as the deputy director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Centre for a New American Security (CNAS), emphasized during a recent online discussion that various U.S. agencies, notably the Department of Defense and the National Security Agency, should evaluate the intelligence requirements necessary to justify such drastic actions, which could include state-sponsored espionage or targeted military interventions against Chinese data centers.
At the event on Thursday, Stokes highlighted the importance of thoroughly considering the specifics of these potential actions. He noted that this kind of strategic thinking could assist policymakers in understanding the unique characteristics of AGI technology—similar to past efforts where policymakers analyzed nuclear technology to inform their decisions.
In a CNAS report released last week, Stokes—who previously held a position on the national security staff under the Obama administration—urged the U.S. government to explore a range of options, including diplomacy, espionage, cyber tactics, and kinetic actions, to thwart China's progress toward achieving AGI.
AGI represents an advanced form of artificial intelligence capable of performing at human levels across diverse tasks. The report, titled “Superpowers and AGI,” delves into the implications of AGI's potential emergence for U.S.-China relations and the geopolitical landscape.
Currently, the U.S. maintains a significant lead over China in cutting-edge AI development, according to Epoch AI. Nonetheless, Stokes cautioned that China could achieve a "surprise technological breakthrough," positioning itself close to or even at the forefront of AGI, particularly given its rapid advancements in robotics and other forms of embodied AI.
