Bill Gates warns AI could kill one billion people

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates warned in an NBC interview that artificial intelligence could cause one billion deaths, citing the potential for malicious actors to wield powerful AI tools. He called for government regulation, stating self-regulation is insufficient. Gates said AI is powerful enough to drive events causing a billion fatalities, though he noted it would be difficult to affect 100 percent of humanity. He urged Washington to pass laws mandating safety measures and oversight, following similar calls from AI labs like Anthropic and OpenAI. Tech experts have increasingly raised alarms, with leaders like Anthropic's Dario Amodei and OpenAI's Sam Altman warning the UN Security Council in September about AI risks. They emphasized the need for international cooperation to manage the technology's dangers.