Washington: Microsoft
co-founder Bill Gates has called for legally required safeguards on artificial
intelligence, as a debate grows in Washington over whether to regulate advanced
AI or avoid rules that could slow the U.S. in its race with China. Speaking on
NBC's "Meet the Press," Gates said AI is unlike earlier technological
advances and could become far more intelligent than humans within the next
several years, calling it an "evolutionary event." He warned the
technology is powerful enough to drive events that could cause a billion
deaths, particularly in the hands of people with ill intent.
Gates said governments
still lack the expertise to understand dangerous thresholds involving
biological attacks, cyberattacks and other uses, and he rejected reliance on
voluntary measures by companies. He argued that requiring safeguards and
monitoring systems would add some costs but would not dramatically slow the
industry's progress, calling it "completely irresponsible" not to
mandate them for every AI system.
His comments came as
Representative Ro Khanna urged a verifiable U.S.-China agreement banning AI
systems that can improve themselves without human training, pointing to legislation
backed by Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar. Khanna
suggested a joint working group of technologists from both countries. U.S.
Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said Washington and Beijing have agreed to
launch a superintelligence dialogue following the Trump-Xi summit, bringing
experts together to discuss guardrails covering areas such as biological
weapons research and nuclear systems.
Not everyone favours new laws. Attorney General Todd Blanche cautioned that heavy regulation could cost the U.S. its leading position, arguing that existing criminal and civil laws already allow action against those who commit crimes using AI. Meanwhile, India, which is rapidly expanding AI use in public services, healthcare, agriculture and education, has said governance should promote safety and accountability without blocking innovation in developing economies.
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