"Then they'll turn around and say there's a decent chance ASI will kill us all, so better we build it before China does."

And also set up moats so for security only they are allowed to push the state of the art forward.

> Then they'll turn around and say there's a decent chance ASI will kill us all, so better we build it before China does.

So true. I know I'd rather be murdered by an American ASI than a Chinese one.

I think that's mostly so govt blocks their competition as much as possible