Bill Gates: AI powerful enough to cause a billion deaths

In a sit-down interview with NBC News' "Meet The Press" aired Sunday, Gates said AI could soon become far more capable than humans, allowing knowledge to spread without human limitations. He also cautioned that advanced AI could amplify biological and cyber threats, potentially causing catastrophic loss of life.

"AI is certainly powerful enough to drive events cause a billion deaths? 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," said Gates.

Gates furthers that the world needs to stop discounting the potential of AI to think of it as an area of competition.

Gates' comments come amid heated debate over regulating AI, with US President Donald Trump among those against regulating the industry.