Bill Gates calls for US regulation of AI to prevent mass casualties

Bill Gates has called for urgent legal regulation of artificial intelligence in the United States, warning that the technology could cause “a billion deaths” if left uncontrolled. In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, the Microsoft co-founder argued that law enforcement and policymakers must be actively involved in establishing safeguards and oversight.

Gates emphasized that industry self-regulation is insufficient to contain the risks. He dismissed the concept of a simple “emergency stop button” as an inadequate solution, noting that damage could occur well before a system is shut down. He described the combination of advanced AI tools and malicious actors as potentially more powerful than any previous weapon.

According to Gates, implementing mandatory regulatory frameworks would represent a manageable operating cost for the tech industry and would not significantly hinder its progress.