"AI Misuse Could Kill 1 Billion People"—Bill Gates Calls for Tough Regulation

[Financial News] Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates warned that malicious use of AI could trigger a catastrophe killing up to 1 billion people.
Gates made the remarks in an interview with the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) current-affairs program Meet the Press, which aired on the morning of the 27th (local time). He argued that AI companies should not be left to manage the risks themselves and that strong government intervention and regulation are needed.
He warned, "The latest AI tools could become a threat more powerful than any weapon ever developed if used by someone with malicious intent."
Gates has long emphasized AI's potential benefits while also warning of its risks and calling for stronger management and oversight.
When asked in the interview whether he believed self-regulation by AI companies was sufficient, Gates firmly said that AI's risks should not be left to companies to manage on their own.
"No one believes self-regulation alone is sufficient," Gates said, arguing that laws regulating AI are essential.
He also stressed that law enforcement agencies and politicians must take part in discussions on how to establish AI safeguards and monitoring systems.
Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, recently said companies should work together to slow the pace of AI development and voluntarily establish relevant standards.
It remains unclear what steps the U.S. government will take regarding AI regulation. Republican congressional leaders have treated AI regulation as a relatively low priority, while President Donald Trump has strongly opposed establishing AI safeguards and described calls for regulation as "a fraud." 
At a summit on the 24th, President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping publicly acknowledged the growing strategic importance of AI and agreed to continue discussing how strictly it should be regulated.

[email protected] Lee Seok-woo, International Affairs Correspondent Reporter