But if you do 2 before 1, you have created a powerful potential enemy who will probably work to prevent you from achieving 1 (unless, by accident, you have achieved 1 already).

I think that the key thing is to recognize the significance of that G in AGI. I agree that it is desirable to create powerful logic engines, powerful natural language processors, and powerful hardware design wizards on the way to solving the friendliness and AGI problems. We probably won't get there without first creating such tools. But I personally don't see why we cannot gain the benefits of such tools without loosing the 'G'enie.