> China, Iran, North Korea, Iran, US, Israel, Europe aren't bad actors
On a very good day, as many as three of those might simultaneously not be bad actors.
They aren't bad actors whose access to AI technology is likely to be meaningfully impacted by regulation (but, for certain of the non-US ones, that hasn't stopped the US from trying before), but that's a different issue.
The term you’re looking for is “constrained” and “unconstrained” actors. The Chinese and North Korean governments are state level actors, constrained by their internal institutions and power dynamics. A rogue wacko is unconstrained - they do whatever they want with no limitations beyond their own mind and individual capabilities.
Examples:
In the Iran Hostage Crisis you had a constrained actor (Iranian government) making somewhat rational choices to use hostage taking as a negotiation tactic.
In the Oklahoma City Bombing, you had unconstrained actors (Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols) blowing up a building with a vehicle borne improvised explosive device for personal reasons.
We do see North Korea, Russia and Iran funding cyberattacks (e.g. major ransomware operations) and supplying weapons to various external groups. If/when we get to a stage when a wacko in his basement possessing some AI tool could be dangerous, we can expect state-level bad actors to make and deliver such tools to any wacko they'll consider likely to use against the west i.e. us.
On a very good day, as many as three of those might simultaneously not be bad actors.
They aren't bad actors whose access to AI technology is likely to be meaningfully impacted by regulation (but, for certain of the non-US ones, that hasn't stopped the US from trying before), but that's a different issue.