Henry Kissinger Issues AI Warning From Beyond the Grave

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Midas Touch

It has been nearly three years since Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger died, yet his voice continues to shape policy discussions from beyond the grave.

In an uncanny video introducing his posthumously published book “Genesis,” an AI-generated voice clone of Kissinger compares the rapid rise of artificial intelligence to the curse of King Midas.

According to the ancient Greek myth, the god Dionysus grants the greedy king the power to turn everything he touches into gold. Midas soon discovers the blessing is a curse when his touch transforms his beloved daughter Marigold into a lifeless statue. Only after washing his hands in the River Pactolus does the spell break.

“What does this tell us,” the robotic Kissinger voice asks, “about humanity trying to wield a power which it cannot possibly understand?”

Mixed Messages

The book, co-written by Kissinger together with former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and former Microsoft executive Craig Mundie, offers a nuanced view of both the opportunities and the risks posed by AI in 2026.

“Eric, Craig, and I decided to write Genesis to examine what artificial intelligence means for humanity,” the AI-generated Kissinger explains, “and explore solutions to the challenges it poses.”

In the video, Mundie and Schmidt recall introducing Kissinger to the subject of AI and note how the collaboration brought the three closer together.

They explore the emerging “Homo technicus” era, a concept first introduced nearly two decades ago to describe a future stage of human evolution in which people and machines become increasingly integrated.

While the technology could transform healthcare, diplomacy, and countless other fields, the AI voice of Kissinger warns that it could also endanger humanity’s very existence.

“As these AI systems become increasingly sophisticated,” the voice continues, “it is imperative that governments create an environment where ethical considerations and technological advancement can progress in tandem.”

It remains unclear how seriously that advice will be taken. During his second presidency, Donald Trump has vowed to reduce regulatory constraints on AI development while once again relying on his son-in-law and former Kissinger protégé Jared Kushner.

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