Professor Gregory O'Hare:

It is without doubt a technology that can present a great threat. Because it is out there in the wild, as it were, we have a situation whereby companies or organisations may not previously have had the opportunity to access this kind of technology and capability and, consequently, with this kind of opportunity, they now do. You could potentially have relatively small and ad hocorganisations, businesses or countries that now have the opportunity of being quite disruptive. How do we have that global discussion? I would have thought it has to come through forums like the United Nations but the Deputy made reference to the difficulties that have previously been witnessed in getting countries around the globe to agree on almost anything. Even global warming has had its difficulties in certain global constituencies. I would imagine that while the vast majority will probably see that we need to move rapidly and logically to try to address this potential existential threat globally, there will no doubt be certain countries that will not be of that mind.