Tuesday, September 29, 2026 - Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist, Bill Gates, has warned that artificial intelligence could potentially cause the de@ths of up to one billion people if powerful AI tools fall into the hands of malicious actors.
In an interview with NBC's Meet the Press, Gates said AI
developers should be required to implement safeguards and monitoring systems,
arguing that voluntary industry self-regulation is not enough.
“You need law enforcement and the politicians to get into
the discussion about what safeguards and monitoring look like,” Gates told the
outlet. “And that has to be a required thing.”
Gates acknowledged additional regulation would create some
costs for the AI industry but said it would not necessarily prevent companies
from continuing to develop the technology.
“It will be a little bit of overhead for the industry — but
not a dramatic slowing of what they’re doing,” he said.
Gates also issued a stark warning about the potential
consequences if advanced AI tools fall into the hands of people with malicious
intentions.
“There’s never been a weapon as powerful as the combination
of people with ill intent using the latest AI tools,” Gates said.
He added AI could “certainly (be) powerful enough to drive
events that, you know, cause a billion deaths.”
Gates was also asked about an AI “kill switch” that could
shut down systems if they became too powerful. He said simply being able to
turn off an AI system would not be enough to address the broader risks.
“It’s not enough to have a kill switch,” Gates said, noting
current AI systems have not reached the point where they can independently take
control of computers and prevent themselves from being shut down.
Gates’ comments follow an essay he published last month
warning about the potential dangers posed by increasingly capable AI systems.
He has generally maintained an optimistic outlook about technology and humanity
but has also called for safeguards as AI development accelerates.
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