Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has called on US lawmakers and law enforcers to regulate the development of artificial intelligence, warning that the technology, if left unchecked, could cause “a billion deaths.” The remarks came in an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, set to air on Sunday.
Gates said “no one thinks self-regulation is enough” and that politicians and law enforcement need to join the discussion on what safeguards and monitoring should look like. He said such oversight has to be a required element, describing it as “a little bit of overhead” for the industry rather than something that would dramatically slow its progress.
In excerpts released in advance, Gates warned that AI in the wrong hands would be powerful enough to drive events that cause mass casualties. He said there has never been a weapon as powerful as the combination of people with ill intent and the latest AI tools.
Gates also addressed the idea of an AI “kill switch,” calling it inadequate on its own. He said the world is not yet at the point where AI systems autonomously take over computers and cannot be shut down, and suggested the kill-switch debate shows how non-technical many participants in the conversation are.
The interview follows a nearly 6,000-word essay Gates published in late August warning about the risks AI poses to humanity. Other prominent tech leaders have also called for a slowdown in AI development, with some experts warning it could enable mass destruction through bioweapons and nuclear war. On September 23, US Senator Bernie Sanders proposed legislation that would temporarily pause advanced AI development while guardrails are put in place.
Microsoft itself has faced criticism over its role in AI-related concerns. Employees and activists have campaigned for the company to cut ties with the Israeli military, which has used AI tools in conflicts including in Gaza and, alongside US forces, in Iran, according to a Guardian essay published on Friday. The essay also raised concerns about US authorities using AI tools such as Microsoft’s Azure in immigration enforcement.
(Source: The Guardian)
