AI regulation harder to agree on than nuclear arms, Gates says

Bill Gates said on NBC News that reaching a global agreement on artificial intelligence regulation will be harder than Cold War-era nuclear arms treaties, urging US leadership despite President Donald Trump's refusal to impose restrictions on AI companies. Gates argued that monitoring AI would not slow the industry or hinder competition with China, identifying malicious actors as the main threat, as small groups can now conduct cyberattacks previously limited to major states. He stated that an emergency stop switch is insufficient, requiring built-in observation and recording systems, with protections implemented before large-scale attacks occur. Gates proposed mandatory oversight involving law enforcement and politicians, not just industry self-regulation, including data accountability and permanent model access. In September 2026, the US and China launched a regular AI dialogue, seeking mutual incident notification, while Trump in November 2025 favored federal rules to prevent state-level fragmentation and maintain leadership.