SOUNDING THE ALARM

Bill Gates Shares Chilling AI Prediction

The Microsoft co-founder was asked about whether the technology is “powerful enough to end all of humanity.”

Bill Gates is warning that AI could help cause the deaths of a billion people if it falls into the wrong hands. The Microsoft co-founder was asked on Sunday’s episode of NBC’s Meet the Press whether the technology is “powerful enough to end all of humanity.” Gates said it’s “certainly powerful enough to drive events that cause a billion deaths.” He said it’s hard to “get to 100%,” seemingly saying it probably can’t wipe out all of humanity, but it can cause mass destruction. “There’s never been a weapon as powerful as the combination of people with ill intent using the latest AI tools… I wish it was easier to distinguish good intent, like I want to design a new drug for a disease, versus negative intent, which is I want to design a tool of bioterrorism,” Gates said. Gates’ warning follows an apocalyptic prediction from AI whistleblower Jacob Coxon and Sen. Bernie Sanders’ introduction of a bill to ban artificial superintelligence. Bill Gates no longer holds an official position at Microsoft, but he still serves in an informal advisory role as a technology adviser to CEO Satya Nadella. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has repeatedly berated citizens worried about AI, while financial disclosures show extensive trading on his behalf in technology and AI-linked companies, including Microsoft, Nvidia, Palantir, and data-center and semiconductor firms.