Bill Gates urges tighter AI rules over risk of catastrophic

He said the greater risk lies in highly capable AI systems being used by people seeking to cause large-scale harm. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has warned that increasingly powerful artificial intelligence systems could be misused in ways capable of causing catastrophic loss of life, urging governments to introduce stronger safeguards for the technology. Gates raised the concern during an interview with NBC News' Meet the Press, where he argued that the main danger does not necessarily come from AI independently turning against humanity. Instead, he said the greater risk lies in highly capable AI systems being used by people seeking to cause large-scale harm. Gates warned that such misuse could contribute to events resulting in as many as a billion deaths, particularly if advanced AI capabilities were combined with malicious intent. He argued that this combination could produce threats more serious than those posed by previous weapons or technologies. The billionaire philanthropist also rejected the idea that technology companies should be left entirely responsible for establishing and enforcing their own safety standards. He called for legislation requiring stronger oversight of AI developers and said governments, lawmakers and law enforcement agencies should play a role in determining appropriate safeguards and monitoring requirements. Concerns about the rapid development of increasingly autonomous AI systems have also been growing within the technology industry. Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has previously called for slowing development of the most advanced systems, while researchers and former employees at AI companies have raised concerns about potential risks as models become more capable. Gates, who has long emphasised the potential benefits of technology, has also adopted a more cautious tone as AI development accelerates. Last month, he said artificial intelligence could significantly improve people's lives across areas including healthcare and productivity, while also warning that the technology could facilitate cyberattacks, fraud and the development of dangerous biological threats. His latest comments add to the growing international debate over how governments should regulate AI without preventing potentially beneficial innovation.