Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has called for stricter rules around the development of artificial intelligence (AI). He said governments and law enforcement agencies need to be involved in deciding how AI systems should be monitored and controlled. Speaking to NBC’s Meet the Press host Kristen Welker, Gates warned that powerful AI tools could cause serious harm if they fall into the wrong hands.
“You need law enforcement and the politicians to get into the discussion about what safeguards and monitoring look like,” Gates said. “And that has to be a required thing.” He added that this approach would add some overhead to the industry, but it wouldn’t cause a “dramatic slowing of what they’re doing.”
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The Microsoft co-founder also warned about the potential risks if advanced AI tools are used by people with harmful intentions. He said AI could become powerful enough to cause events that result in an extremely high number of deaths.
“There’s never been a weapon as powerful as the combination of people with ill intent using the latest AI tools,” Gates said.
He also discussed the idea of having a kill switch that could shut down an AI system if it becomes too powerful. Gates said such a system alone would not be enough to deal with the risks posed by advanced AI.
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“It’s not enough to have a kill switch,” Gates stressed. “We’re not yet at the point where … they autonomously grab computers and, you know, can’t be shut down. So that discussion … just sort of shows how non-technical various people are.”
He also said that “it’s completely irresponsible not to require every AI to have these safeguards and monitoring capabilities.”
Gates’ comments come as concerns around AI safety continue to grow. Several leaders in the AI industry have also discussed slowing the pace of development and adding stronger safety measures.
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