Bill Gates, co-founder and former CEO of Microsoft, reiterated his support for greater government intervention in regulating artificial intelligence. In an interview with NBC News, the philanthropist argued that the ability of companies to self-regulate is insufficient, necessitating that authorities establish mandatory standards to keep pace with the technology's progress.
When questioned about the need for legislation in the United States, Gates confirmed this necessity. He advocates for the inclusion of authorities, legislators, and oversight bodies in the process of defining the safeguards required of AI corporations.
According to Gates, safety measures cannot depend exclusively on the companies creating the models. He stated that no one considers self-regulation adequate. In the view of the Microsoft co-founder, protection and monitoring systems must be mandatory, which may generate extra costs for companies but would not imply a sharp reduction in the development of new systems.
This statement aligns with a stance he has previously defended. In August, Gates pointed out that technology companies tend to downplay the dangers of AI to protect their commercial interests, and he endorsed a more robust role for governments regarding potential impacts on jobs, security, and children. Furthermore, he refuted the idea of leaving oversight solely in the hands of large technology companies and suggested the creation of an international organization focused on AI.
Another point raised is that companies themselves lack the means to fully assess all the social consequences of the technology, given that areas such as cybersecurity, biological risks, the job market, and child development require decisions that transcend the teams responsible for the models.
The debate about the degree of interference governments should exercise in AI development also creates divisions among industry leaders. For example, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, recently rejected calls to slow down technological advancement.
Zuckerberg maintains that competition between companies and existing legal risks already incentivize companies to develop safe systems. This perspective contrasts with that of executives and researchers who advocate for external supervisory mechanisms. Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, also supports the establishment of an international body to supervise advanced models and conduct pre-launch assessments.
In parallel, the Microsoft co-founder acknowledges that governments themselves need to improve their knowledge of AI to prepare for the economic and social transformations that the technology is promoting.