Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates warned that artificial intelligence (AI) could cause "a billion deaths" if left unchecked in the latest push to regulate AI on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday.During his interview, Gates, who previously warned that AI could be the "greatest equalizer" or "worst source of injustice" without some level of human regulation, stopped short of answering whether the technology could "end all of humanity" but argued that it could drive events that would lead to significant deaths."AI is certainly powerful enough to drive events that, you know, cause a billion deaths," Gates said."You know, so even though it’s pretty hard to get to 100%, there’s never been a weapon as powerful as the combination of people with ill intent using the latest AI tools."AI EXTINCTION WARNINGS DOMINATE HEADLINES AFTER EX-ANTHROPIC EMPLOYEE'S VIRAL POSTMicrosoft co-founder Bill Gates speaks at the Gates Foundation’s inaugural global Goalkeepers event in the Nordics, held in Stockholm, Sweden, on Jan.
22, 2026.(Stefan Jerrevang / TT News Agency / AFP via Getty Images)Gates is among several tech giants who have put forth warnings about AI, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Despite this, President Donald Trump has rejected calls to ease back on AI development in an effort to compete with other global powers like China.Gates disagreed, saying there "absolutely" needed to be more focus on regulation and legislation passed by Congress rather than concerns about global competition.WATCH: AI SAFETY SCARE SPARKS CAP HILL FIGHT OVER GUARDRAILS: 'CHINA'S GOING TO EAT OUR LUNCH'"The problem is that the rest of the world is either discounting this or just thinking of this as a competition.And it’s very scary that we don’t have all of the thinkers saying, 'How do we want to shape this?'" Gates said.When host Kristen Welker compared the situation to limitations around nuclear weapons development between the U.S.
and U.S.S.R.during the Co...