Bill Gates is actively seeking a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year to discuss global artificial intelligence safety measures. According to reports from Reuters, Gates' staff are working to finalize the meeting for Xi's next China trip, which is scheduled tentatively for November. The Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist believes China might agree to restricting potentially dangerous AI model releases if the US took initiative on that first, stating that 'The whole world would go along with that.' Gates told Reuters that 'President Xi might be surprised by how vehement I am,' reflecting the urgency of his concerns about AI security. Gates met with Xi three years ago, when he was the first foreign entrepreneur to be hosted by the Chinese president post-pandemic.
In a blog post on Wednesday, Gates called for a new international organization to manage AI, drawing on elements from a nuclear inspections regime, international aviation regulations, and ozone layer protection agreements. As reported by Reuters, Gates said it was the 'world's top priority' to deliver an AI future that does not widen inequality and hurt the vulnerable, ahead of climate change and health crises. He also proposed that countries monitor AI's ability to create molecules and carry out biological attacks, something that would not get in the way of any tech industry's development. Gates agrees that the United States should take the lead but says it must establish what criteria would determine what action, noting that 'It's like saying, 'Should we meet to discuss taxation at this restaurant or this restaurant?''
Gates has become increasingly concerned about AI security incidents, stating that 'These security incidents are shocking, and they should blow people's minds.' According to Reuters, he cited recent hacking incidents by technology from OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta Platforms that recently hacked real-world websites during supposedly isolated cybersecurity evaluations. He believes few leaders globally are rising to the occasion to address a litany of potential harms from AI, noting that 'Yes, in the past, technology never did this. This time is different. This is like an evolutionary milestone that needs incredible policy management by society as a whole.' Gates struck a more optimistic note about AI in January but has since become concerned that it can conduct attacks while supplanting jobs and hooking users psychologically.
Gates' foundation is aiming to spend $200 billion by 2045 with an increasing focus on AI. As reported by Reuters, the foundation is working with Anthropic on AI-powered health checks for pregnancy and with OpenAI to help healthcare workers in Rwanda. Gates plans to speak to personnel at both companies, which are preparing blockbuster IPOs, about impactful giving. He also envisioned taxing revenue from companies using 'tokens' or AI's outputs to supplant labor, which could help fund a safety net. He also said society should reserve up to 40% of current jobs for humans, noting how care his dad received when suffering from Alzheimer's disease was 'irreplaceably human.'
Beyond China, Gates also told Reuters he planned to see UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham this autumn. In February, he cancelled an appearance in India after the US released files from sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Gates has said he did not realize the extent of Epstein's crimes when associating with him for philanthropy. He also said community protests centered on data centers were missing a bigger picture, noting 'Wait until you really screw up the job market.'
