Bill Gates will warn on this weekend’s "Meet the Press" that he can envision a future in which artificial intelligence (AI) inflicts catastrophic human losses. Excerpts NBC released Friday show Gates telling host Kristen Welker that "AI is certainly powerful enough to drive events that, you know, cause a billion deaths."
He added that, although reaching 100 percent extinction is difficult, "there's never been a weapon as powerful as the combination of people with ill intent using the latest AI tools."
Why this matters
Gates, long known as a technology optimist, has increasingly sounded the alarm about AI risks. His comments arrive as technology leaders and government officials weigh how to address fears of AI-driven doomsday scenarios.
Background: Gates' August memo
In August, Bill Gates published a memo describing AI as a technology more consequential than virtually any other in history. In that essay he wrote that "AI will either be the greatest equalizer ever invented, or the worst source of injustice," and warned that "on the current course and speed, there's a very high chance of a net negative outcome."
What comes next
Gates argues that governments and political parties need to cooperate now to find ways to prevent AI from spiraling out of control.
The remarks quoted here are from Gates' interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," conducted by Kristen Welker; NBC released excerpts on Friday.
