In an interview with Reuters, Gates said, “I don’t think any government is nearly as deep on this as they have to be. ” He cautioned that AI poses risks to jobs, cybersecurity, and even addiction to AI companions, urging leaders to act before it is too late. It’s here, and we better do like it shows in those movies,” said Gates. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has now issued a stark warning, saying that no government in the world is prepared for the sweeping changes artificial intelligence will bring. Gates likened the arrival of AI to a disaster film scenario and feels that its appears to be like a disaster movie that no one has prepared for. “There’s all sorts of movies where some aliens are coming, and magically the US and China and everybody comes together to solve the problem. AI is kind of like this alien intelligence.
The Gates Foundation announced Tuesday that it plans to spend at least $1 billion over the next two years specifically on expanding AI access, part of the foundation’s broader commitment to roughly $9 billion in annual spending.
Speaking to Reuters, the Microsoft co-founder said he doesn’t believe any government has engaged with AI’s implications nearly as deeply as it needs to. It marks a shift for Gates, who until recently had been largely optimistic about the technology’s trajectory but has grown increasingly vocal about risks to jobs, security threats, and the dangers of people becoming overly attached to AI companions. Despite the warning, Gates and his foundation remain convinced AI could help close the gap between rich and poor nations rather than widen it, provided it’s managed carefully and access is distributed fairly. The new funding will support partners working in education, healthcare, and agriculture, and will also go toward strengthening the underlying data infrastructure AI depends on — including making sure large language models function well across every language people actually speak, not just the handful currently best served by existing models.