One signal

Bill Gates is warning that AI could become powerful enough to cause catastrophically large loss of life, including a potential billion deaths. He is due to make the remarks on NBC’s “Meet the Press” this weekend, with excerpts released ahead of the interview.

Why it matters

Axios reports that Gates will argue the danger comes not only from AI itself, but from the combination of powerful tools and people with malicious intent. He says governments and political parties should work together now to prevent AI from spiralling out of control. That is a warning, not a forecast or evidence that such an event is likely. Gates is also calling for action before the technology becomes harder to govern, which is rather less cinematic than an apocalypse but considerably more useful.

Discuss: Should AI policy focus primarily on preventing extreme catastrophe, or on reducing the more immediate harms caused by misuse and poor deployment?

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