Bill Gates Warns AI Could Cause Billion Deaths

Bill Gates told NBC's "Meet the Press" that artificial intelligence is now powerful enough to enable events resulting in a billion deaths. He emphasized the danger of malicious actors combining advanced AI tools with catastrophic intent, particularly in cyberattacks and bioweapon design. Gates argued that corporate self-regulation is insufficient and called for mandatory government safety frameworks. The interview is scheduled to air on September 27. His warning aligns with growing alarm from Silicon Valley insiders about existential AI risks. Former Anthropic researcher Jakob Kocan recently resigned, accusing leading labs of gambling with human lives in the race for superintelligence. Another Anthropic worker estimated a greater than 10% probability of catastrophic outcomes.