Bill Gates warned on NBC's "Meet the Press" that AI could drive events causing a billion deaths, calling it irresponsible not to require more safeguards.

By Idrees Ali and Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON/CHICAGO, Sept 27 (Reuters) - AI requires safeguards that go beyond self-regulation, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said in an interview that aired on Sunday,

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has warned that getting countries to agree on a global framework for AI could be more difficult than Cold War-era negotiations to restrict nuclear weapons.

Tech billionaire Bill Gates warned that artificial intelligence had the potential to kill a billion people in the wrong hands — as he joined the call to put safety restrictions on the technology. STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST NEWS BY SUBSCRIBING TO MORNING REPORT NEWSLETTER The Microsoft co-founder called for greater government oversight on AI during a talk with NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday,

Bill Gates says AI is powerful enough to contribute to events causing “a billion deaths.”

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is in New York City this week for the UN General Assembly, hoping to prepare world leaders for the huge potential and huge threats AI poses. He spoke with Tony Dokoupil about his concerns.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates pushed back against one of the most prominent ideas in the debate over artificial intelligence safety on Sunday, arguing that discussions centered on a so-called AI "kill switch" miss the more immediate dangers posed by the technology.