There Are Plenty of Reasons to Be Concerned About Bioweapons Development, Even Without AI

A new book on biological warfare argues that bioweapons pose an extraordinary threat to humanity, even without AI involvement. The author notes that biological weapons are considered a close second to nuclear weapons on the weapons of mass destruction threat spectrum, and they are more dangerous in some ways because the threshold for developing them is extremely low, meaning many nations and potentially non-state actors could gain access to pandemic agents. The book's scenario involves an accidental release of a weaponized pathogen from a high-security lab, which experts consider a greater threat than deliberate deployment, though the author emphasizes that government agencies work to disrupt bioweapons programs. The core concern is that unlike nuclear weapons, which require state-level resources and infrastructure, biological threats could originate from numerous sources worldwide.