Bill Gates: International governments are 'way behind' on AI, must work together to avoid issues
Gates said he has been talking to world leaders about his concerns, including President Donald Trump and his team in the US, and said he aims to meet China’s President Xi Jinping later this year.
Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist, has warned that no world government is prepared for the societal changes artificial intelligence (AI) will bring, as he expressed concerns about the risks ahead. In an interview with Reuters, Gates said, "I don't think any government is nearly as deep on this as they have to be."
While acknowledging AI's potential to help the world's poorest if managed properly and accessed equally, Gates emphasized the need for global cooperation to avoid issues. He said, "Governments are way behind on this one." Gates has been discussing his concerns with world leaders, including President Donald Trump and his team in the US, as well as planning to meet China's President Xi Jinping later this year.
Despite his reservations, Gates and his foundation plan to spend at least $1 billion over the next two years, as part of its previously announced $9 billion annual spending plan, on expanding access to AI in education, healthcare, and agriculture. Gates highlighted the potential of AI in health research and discovery, noting the potential to support frontline healthcare workers and discover new drugs and vaccines.
Gates likened the arrival of AI to a disaster movie, stating, "There's all sorts of movies where some aliens are coming, and magically the US and China and everybody comes together to solve the problem. AI is kind of like this alien intelligence. It's here, and we better do like it shows in those movies."
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
