Bill Gates says AI needs safeguards like planes, cars and medicines and that the world is not where it needs to be
Just as we regulate planes, cars, and medicines, we need safeguards that help us realize AI's incredible potential while reducing the risks. They won’t eliminate every harm, but they can help prevent misuse by bad actors. We’re not where we need to be yet—and this deserves much more of our attention.
Context
One of tech's most influential figures is calling for regulation that goes beyond AI companies policing themselves, a direct contrast with the Trump administration's preference for industry self regulation.
Gates made the post while quoting a clip of his interview on CNN's State of the Union that aired Sunday, October 11. In the interview, according to coverage, he warned of grim possibilities if humans do not maintain control of AI and said the world will move beyond self governance by AI companies over the next year. He also said society will need to decide how to tax AI or robot usage and which jobs to preserve for humans.
Deep dive
On October 11, Bill Gates posted that just as society regulates planes, cars and medicines, it needs safeguards that help realize AI's potential while reducing the risks. He said such safeguards will not eliminate every harm but can help prevent misuse by bad actors, and that the world is not where it needs to be and the issue deserves much more attention.
The post quoted a clip from his appearance on CNN's State of the Union. CNN's post summarizing the clip quotes Gates warning of grim possibilities if we don't maintain control of AI, and saying that over the next year we will move beyond self governance and that it is clear we are not doing enough.
According to Social News XYZ's account of the interview, Gates told host Jake Tapper the most immediate danger is bad people using AI, particularly for cyberattacks, and predicted government safety bodies similar to those for aviation and medicines. He also said society will have to decide how to tax AI usage or robot usage and where human jobs should be preserved, citing how fast models are improving and the incentive to use AI in place of human labor.
What to expect next
Watch whether Gates follows up with specific proposals, whether he meets with President Trump about AI safeguards as he has said he hopes to, and whether lawmakers cite his comments in pushing for federal AI rules.
Also watch how AI labs respond to the call to move past self governance within a year, especially as AI policy becomes a theme in the November midterms.