This comment is so weird. It is so vague to me and feels so off, like an alien from Men in Black trying to pass as a human.

How do they not truly care about helping? Also what sunk cost? What does that mean?

Hah, not trying to pass off as human. Just communicating with my fellow men in black ;)

To be as explicit as possible: whether disclosing this publicly actually did more good then harm is not that clear cut. Even if accounting for all the second order effects.

Regardless, as a business you'd still be compelled to publish, because you've already poured resources into this research, there's still a chance to gain something, and there is enough plausible deniability about your true priorities.