Infinite Potential

The authors synthesize observations from 26 Infinite Potential games featuring AI loss-of-control dynamics. They identify the key issues, capabilities and playbooks, and recommendations that participants believe necessary to navigate a period when social legitimacy, economic stability, and technical control might collapse. The findings aim to help policymakers, researchers, and the public understand the preparations needed before such an event.

Infinite Potential—Insights On Artificial Intelligence Loss of Control Across Five Scenarios

After-Action Report from a Sequence of Day After Artificial General Intelligence Exercises

Pauline Moore, Stephanie J. Walsh, Zachary Burdette, Matt Chessen, David R. Frelinger, Richard S. Girven, Chad Heitzenrater, Gregory Smith, Barry Wilson

This research was independently initiated and made possible by RAND’s own resources, including income from operations, unrestricted gifts from RAND supporters, and distributions from its long-term investment fund.

RAND is conducting a series of scenario-based games to better understand how governments and other institutions should prepare for and respond to potential artificial intelligence (AI) and artificial general intelligence (AGI) developments. These games are run through the Infinite Potential platform, and this report is part of a series of publications that present findings and insights derived from player feedback.

Each Infinite Potential game presents a plausible future scenario in which advances in AGI outpace governance, and players are asked to craft immediate and longer-term responses. The authors of this report synthesize observations from 26 games conducted between June 2025 and February 2026. Each game featured one of five scenarios: Business and Civil Society, Cyber Surprise, European Energy, Geopolitics of Energy on the Korean Peninsula, and Remote Control. They identify the key issues, desired capabilities and playbooks, and other recommendations that participants in these games believed would be necessary to navigate a period when social legitimacy, economic stability, and technical control might collapse. The findings aim to help policymakers, researchers, corporate leaders, civil society organizations, and the public understand the preparations needed before such an event, the decisions likely to matter most once such an event begins, and the playbooks required to navigate it successfully.

This effort was independently initiated and conducted within the Center for the Geopolitics of Artificial General Intelligence using income from operations and gifts from RAND supporters, including philanthropic gifts made or recommended by DALHAP Investments Ltd., Ergo Impact, Founders Pledge, Charlottes och Fredriks Stiftelse, Good Ventures, Longview, and Coefficient Giving. RAND donors and grantors have no influence over research findings or recommendations.

This publication is part of the RAND research report series. Research reports present research findings and objective analysis that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND research reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity.

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