They will get large investment. This investment is in the private sector, more efficient, very diffuse. Because they will succeed, the knowledge of how to use them will be increasingly widespread and accessible. The tools can be used for good or ill by small groups. The difference is essentially the designs they use, which is software.
Defense is very problematic because of auto-immunity dangers with shields.
Clearly, open access to information, freedom of association, etc. While it may be unthinkable to our current system and experience to restrict things, it's equally immoral to not act, and thereby cause humanity to have a large chance of great harm. The only solutions aren't necessarily government, for example. A Hippocratic oath for scientists. An international agency to hold some of the more dangerous but very valuable knowledge and resultant technologies.