engineered-pandemics

Chapter 12 explores the catastrophic risks posed by emerging technologies, particularly AI and synthetic biology, emphasizing the unprecedented scale and speed at which disasters could occur. It outlines plausible scenarios of technological misuse leading to mass harm, the dilemma between authoritarian containment and catastrophic failure, and the challenges of managing AI's power and unpredictability. The chapter stresses that while most technological use will be beneficial, the potential for extreme misuse demands urgent attention and governance.