Hostile Al Will Only Become More Dangerous | Helena CEO Henry Elkus

Exponential technological advancements in AI and biotechnology have ushered in a "Manhattan Project" era, where individual actors possess the capacity to cause global catastrophe. These intersecting risks, particularly the potential for AI-driven pathogen creation, necessitate new institutional guardrails and international bilateral cooperation. Helena, an organization founded by Henry Elkus, addresses these challenges by convening experts to implement solutions, such as deliberative democracy initiatives like "America in One Room." These experiments demonstrate that representative, face-to-face deliberation can bridge deep political divides and reveal actionable consensus. Ultimately, navigating this existential landscape requires moving beyond pure profit-maximization models, strengthening public sector expertise, and establishing transparent, collaborative frameworks that transcend traditional geopolitical silos to prevent the decentralization of destructive power.