Technology billionaire Bill Gates warned that bad guys could use AI to create biological weapons, causing much more damage than Covid-19.

At the Future of AI Summit organized by Financial Times on November 4, the Microsoft co-founder said the incredible capabilities of AI models mean "both the potential for benefit and the risk of harm are huge". He said that the big immediate danger is that bad guys use AI to create biological weapons or attack cybersecurity vulnerabilities throughout society, especially when some open models allow free access to bypass protection and monitoring measures.

Gates warns the extent of the damage from an AI biosecurity incident "could be significantly worse than Covid". He also complained that international efforts to regulate and monitor the activities and influence of AI are facing obstacles due to the lack of action by the White House. "The course of action will have little value if the US does not participate. So we are in a deadlock. The only question is how many bad events will need to happen before they change their stance," he said.

Bill Gates has repeatedly issued strong warnings about AI developing in a direction that can be abused or go beyond human control, causing catastrophic consequences. Last month, he warned that cybercriminals could use advanced AI models to disrupt financial systems and blackmail businesses.

In September, in an interview with NBC News, he said AI could have terrible consequences if it fell into the wrong hands, calling for stricter government controls. "AI is certainly strong enough to cause events that lead to a billion deaths. It is very difficult to wipe out 100% of humanity, but there has never been a 'weapon' as powerful as the combination of people with bad intentions and the latest artificial intelligence tools," he commented.

When the interviewer asked about companies self-regulating AI, Gates replied: "No one thinks self-regulation is enough. We need law enforcement and politicians to participate in discussions about protections and oversight."

However, in a speech before the United Nations in September, US President Donald Trump rejected calls to tighten government regulations on AI. He called the G20's effort to develop AI guidelines a "global conspiracy" and advocated for the technology industry to self-regulate.

According to Business Insider, Bill Gates used to be optimistic about AI, but changed his opinion this summer. In an article published in August, he said that the world has no plans to deploy safe AI.

According to him, artificial intelligence brings great benefits in fields such as agriculture and medicine, creating breakthroughs in disease prevention and treatment. But the transition to the AI ​​era poses many risks such as exacerbating unemployment, harming children's development, and creating favorable conditions for crime.

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