Bill Gates warns AI misuse could kill billions, urges safeguards before attacks

Bill Gates warned during a Sunday NBC interview that artificial intelligence could kill billions if misused, claiming humanity has created an intelligent species already smarter than us in many respects, with risks stemming from malicious human intent rather than AI itself. Gates argued the primary danger is people using AI for fraud, cyberattacks on electrical systems, or bank account scrambling, noting that small groups can now launch operations previously requiring state funding. He advocated for built-in safeguards and monitoring over a "kill switch" or slowing development, stressing these protections should be implemented before large-scale attacks occur. He also highlighted the difficulty of distinguishing beneficial AI use, like drug design, from bioterrorism development, and noted that while loss-of-control incidents have raised awareness, the urgent threat remains bad actors, not autonomous AI going rogue.