AI could cause a billion deaths, warns Bill Gates

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has urged governments to strengthen oversight of artificial intelligence, warning that the technology could have devastating consequences if used by people with harmful intentions.

Speaking to NBC News, Gates said that AI had reached a level of power that could potentially contribute to events causing enormous loss of life. “AI is certainly powerful enough to drive events that cause a billion deaths,” Gates said.

He warned that the combination of advanced AI systems and people seeking to cause harm could create dangers on a scale not seen with earlier technologies.

Gates also called for the US government to introduce federal laws covering AI safeguards and monitoring.

Asked about government regulation, he said that Washington needed to act “absolutely” and rejected the idea that companies could adequately police themselves. “No one thinks self-regulation is enough,” Gates said.

He acknowledged that new laws would add some additional requirements for AI companies, but said they would not necessarily prevent the industry from continuing to develop the technology.

Gates also distinguished between the immediate threat of AI being misused by terrorists or hostile governments and more extreme warnings about the technology posing an existential threat to humanity.

His comments come amid growing debate over AI safety. Former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon has pointed to concerns among some developers that increasingly advanced AI could pose a serious threat to humanity.

Gates has previously warned about the impact of AI on employment. In a lengthy essay last month, he argued that some jobs should be designated as “human reserved” as the technology continues to reshape the workplace.