Gates warns AI could cause a billion deaths, calls for government safeguards
September 29, 2026
Summarised by Centrist
Bill Gates has warned that artificial intelligence could enable attacks causing a billion deaths, calling for mandatory safeguards and US legislation rather than relying on technology companies to regulate themselves.
Speaking to NBC’s Meet the Press, the Microsoft co-founder said the danger lay in “people with ill intent using the latest AI tools”. His remarks described a potential risk, rather than predicting that a billion deaths would occur.
“No one thinks self-regulation is enough,” Gates said, arguing that politicians and law enforcement should establish compulsory safeguards and monitoring. He said these would impose some costs without dramatically slowing development.
In a separate CBS interview, Gates described AI as “almost an evolutionary event” and urged President Donald Trump to lead international cooperation.
Modernity’s Steve Watson argues that Gates’s warnings could justify excessive government control. Gates, meanwhile, continues to support expanding AI’s use in healthcare, education and agriculture, presenting regulation and wider access as complementary goals.
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