Senators on Capitol Hill were split on Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ warning that artificial intelligence (AI) could lead to "a billion deaths" amid growing controversy over the technology’s direction and rapid growth.Gates is one of several industry giants who have sounded the alarm on AI’s advancements, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.President Donald Trump has pushed back on calls to slow down AI development, arguing a rollback could give an advantage to competitors in the AI race like China.Gates made the claim on NBC’s "Meet the Press" last week when he was asked whether AI could wipe out humanity — as some in the industry have warned is a possibility that could happen within a decade.GOP LAWMAKERS SMELL SOMETHING ELSE BEHIND BIG TECH'S AI DOOMSDAY WARNINGS: 'SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON'"I think that's incredibly irresponsible," Sen.
John Cornyn, R-Texas told Fox News Digital."That's not as dire as some of the AI officials who have suggested that there was a 10 percent chance of wiping out all of humanity," Sen.Angus King, I-Maine said.
"This is something we have to take very seriously.""What worries me about that prediction is that the Republicans who are in control of the House and the Senate say ‘everybody go home and let AI do whatever they want to do,’" Sen.Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said.Cornyn claimed that Gates’ warning risks fueling calls for regulations that could ultimately benefit the biggest players in the AI industry while crowding out smaller competitors."I mean, he's fear-mongering," Cornyn said.
"And I worry that it's in pursuit of what's sometimes called regulatory capture, that the government and the public will demand regulation while a handful of prime AI companies are in control and crowd out any competitors."WATCH: AI SAFETY SCARE SPARKS CAP HILL FIGHT OVER GUARDRAILS: 'CHINA'S GOING TO EAT OUR LUNCH'Sen.John Cornyn, R-Texas is sounding the alarm on Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ warni...