Military and national security

Jake Sullivan

U.S. National Security Advisor 2021-2025; now professor at Harvard Kennedy School

2 records

Portrait source: Executive Office of the President of the United States, Public domain

Records

I consider it a distinct possibility that the darker view [of AI risk] could be correct, and therefore we need very assertive policy strategies to manage for that risk,

Jake Sullivan

U.S. National Security Advisor 2021-2025; now professor at Harvard Kennedy School

Sullivan told TIME, in an article published in August 2025, that he considers it a distinct possibility that the darker view of AI risk could be correct and that very assertive policy strategies are needed to manage that risk.

Kissinger Professor of the Practice of Statecraft and World Order at Harvard Kennedy School; former U.S. National Security AdvisorPublished August 27, 2025 · date of remarks not establishedThe Race for Artificial General Intelligence Poses New Risks to an Unstable World

Source Archived

Context and checks

Surrounding words

During his time in office, Sullivan became increasingly concerned about the potential for AI to go catastrophically wrong. “I consider it a distinct possibility that the darker view [of AI risk] could be correct, and therefore we need very assertive policy strategies to manage for that risk,” he tells TIME. “We have to take the possibility of dramatic misalignment extremely seriously.”

What this quote does not say

The bracketed words '[of AI risk]' are TIME's clarification inside the quotation and must be preserved as published.
The date of the underlying interview exchange is not stated.

How this was checked

Quote matched character-for-character against the captured page.

Reviewed by

an AI reviewer that read the whole source · an automatic character-by-character check

I strongly believe that we should always be willing to engage in dialogue about this technology with the PRC and with others to better understand risks and counter misperceptions.

Jake Sullivan

U.S. National Security Advisor 2021-2025; now professor at Harvard Kennedy School

In an October 2024 speech at National Defense University, Sullivan said the United States should always be willing to engage in dialogue about AI with the PRC and with others to better understand risks and counter misperceptions.

Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (National Security Advisor)October 24, 2024National Defense University, Washington, D.C.

Source Archived

Context and checks

Surrounding words

And this past May, some of our government’s top AI experts met PRC officials in Geneva for a candid and constructive initial conversation. I strongly believe that we should always be willing to engage in dialogue about this technology with the PRC and with others to better understand risks and counter misperceptions. But those meetings do not diminish our deep concerns about the ways in which the PRC continues to use AI to repress its population, spread misinformation, and undermine the security of the United States and our allies and partners.

What this quote does not say

The policy is framed broadly around AI risk and safety rather than specifically around existential or catastrophic risk.
The transcript page does not expose a recording or passage timestamp.

How this was checked

Quote matched character-for-character against the captured page.

Reviewed by

an AI reviewer that read the whole source · an automatic character-by-character check