Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is pushing back against President Trump’s approach to artificial intelligence, warning that the technology could cause a catastrophe if governments leave safety decisions entirely to AI companies.

In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Gates called for legislation, law enforcement involvement and mandatory monitoring of advanced AI systems. He said the measures would add some costs for developers but would not dramatically slow American innovation or hand China an advantage.

Gates warned that AI in the hands of malicious actors could help enable cyberattacks and biological threats. He said the technology is already powerful enough to drive events that could cause “a billion deaths,” describing a potential danger rather than predicting that such an event will occur.

Trump has dismissed some warnings about AI safety as a “hoax” and argued that heavy regulation could weaken the United States in its competition with China. Gates countered that China also has an interest in preventing dangerous uses of the technology.

Asked about a “kill switch” that could shut down a dangerous AI system, Gates said it would not be enough on its own. He called for safeguards and monitoring that could identify threats before they cause harm.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)