Gates Contradicts Trump on AI Safety, Urges Regulation

Billionaire Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said in a "Meet the Press" interview aired Sunday that AI development without government safeguards could lead to a "billion deaths," directly contradicting President Donald Trump's claim that AI regulation concerns are a "hoax." Gates called establishing an international AI regulation agreement "more difficult" than Cold War nuclear weapons negotiations, but said he believed Trump could change his stance. He expressed interest in meeting Trump to discuss AI, while insisting he would not advocate a development slowdown and that AI is not yet out of control. Gates emphasized that the most immediate danger comes from malicious actors using AI for fraud or infrastructure attacks, noting that small groups can now do what only major countries could previously. He also said the world looks to the U.S. for leadership on AI safeguards, which is currently lacking.