Bill Gates warns AI could kill one billion people without legal regulation

Bill Gates warned in an NBC interview that artificial intelligence could potentially kill one billion people, calling it an existential threat to humanity and stating that legal regulation is "absolutely" necessary. Gates said AI is powerful enough to trigger events causing a billion deaths, noting no weapon has combined malicious actors with such powerful tools. He dismissed self-regulation as insufficient, arguing companies cannot effectively limit their own activities. His comments precede a planned meeting between President Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and AI industry leaders. Johnson has advocated for closed-door discussions to address corporate responsibility and safety measures.