Singapore's Balakrishnan: 'Genie Already Out of the Bottle' on AI Risks
Addressing the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Balakrishnan described AI as "arguably the most urgent frontier," noting that while the technology carries extraordinary potential, it also poses serious risks — from autonomous systems slipping beyond human control to rogue actors exploiting it to develop biological weapons or other weapons of mass destruction.
"The genie is already out of the bottle," he said, arguing that attempting to halt AI development was unrealistic given superpower rivalry and powerful commercial incentives driving the field forward.
Likening AI development to driving a high-performance car, Balakrishnan said innovation supplies the "powerful engine," but safe deployment equally demands "good brakes" — including rigorous testing, firm limits on autonomous systems, and reliable mechanisms for human intervention.
"Most importantly, human beings must ultimately remain in control and accountable," he said, posing the question of whether anyone would want "the nuclear button" placed in the hands of an AI system.
Turning to maritime security, Balakrishnan warned that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the Persian Gulf war is subjecting the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to a "severe stress test."
He asserted that transit passage through international straits is a right — not a privilege subject to fees or tolls — and cautioned that permitting any single country to veto navigational freedoms could trigger far-reaching global consequences.
The strait typically carries roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply, he noted, with its disruption pushing energy prices higher, straining global supply chains, and leaving seafarers stranded.
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