In the corridors of Washington, a former intelligence officer has surfaced a claim that the United States is quietly assembling a grand strategy around artificial superintelligence — not as a research ambition, but as a civilizational imperative. Buck Sexton, drawing on his years inside the CIA, frames this as a race with China for the technology that may determine which nation authors the next century's economic and military order. Whether or not his specific account holds, the anxiety he articulates — that superintelligence is a kind of geopolitical finish line — has already found a home in
The Manila Times
· Nov 20, 2025
· technology
· 3 min read
Low
Sourcing: Characterized
Former CIA Officer Claims White House Pursuing Secret AI Superintelligence Plan
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Politics & Governance
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Bias & Framing
⚖
Article relies heavily on unverified claims from a single former official, using dramatic framing about 'secret' plans without substantive evidence or counterbalancing perspectives.
Bias Direction
right
Confidence
HIGH
Sensationalism and conspiratorial framing ('Beneath the noise,' 'quietly taking shape,' 'hidden agenda') combined with nationalist/competitive framing positioning US dominance as necessary and inevitable.
secret AI superintelligence plan
hidden agenda
quietly taking shape
Beneath the noise
risk surrendering the future
controls the world
completely rewire
long-term strategy
sweeping plan
Official White House response or denial
Independent verification of claimed meetings
Perspectives from AI ethics experts on risks of ASI dominance focus
International perspectives on AI governance
Counterarguments about collaborative vs. competitive AI development
Skeptical analysis of Sexton's claims and credibility
Current administration's actual stated AI policy positions
Geopolitical Impact
🌎
Former CIA officer claims White House pursuing secret ASI dominance strategy against China, framing superintelligence as decisive geopolitical competition reshaping global power structures.
Escalation Risk
high
Confidence
LOW
United States
China
European Union
Asia-Pacific
Global
Alleged U.S. strategy to establish technological hegemony through ASI development represents shift from traditional military/economic competition to AI-driven dominance. China positioned as primary rival. Potential realignment of global influence based on AI capabilities rather than conventional power metrics. May trigger accelerated AI arms race among major powers.
Mirrors Cold War space race and nuclear competition—technological supremacy framed as existential geopolitical necessity. Similar rhetoric of 'first-mover advantage' determining global order.
Economic Lens
📈
Claims of coordinated White House strategy to dominate artificial superintelligence development as reindustrialization priority amid U.S.-China competition, though unverified by official sources.
Market Signal
mixed
Confidence
LOW
Technology and Software
Defense and Aerospace
Manufacturing and Industrial
Semiconductors
Research and Development
Telecommunications
Potential long-term benefits through reindustrialization and job creation, but uncertain timeline and feasibility. Near-term impact minimal unless policy shifts materialize into concrete funding or regulatory changes affecting consumer tech prices or availability.
If verified, could trigger: increased government R&D funding for AI/ASI, potential tech sector subsidies, stricter export controls on AI technology, regulatory frameworks for superintelligence development, and possible antitrust reviews of major tech companies. May also prompt international trade tensions with China and allied nations.