Why does Bill Gates want AI laws? He says self-regulation is not enough

Bill Gates says AI needs government rules, not just company promises. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said artificial intelligence needs safeguards that go beyond self-regulation. He called for Congress to pass laws that set clear rules for how AI systems should be monitored and controlled. Gates made the comments in a taped interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday.

Bill Gates calls for government rules and stronger safeguards for artificial intelligence. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) (AP)Gates wants law enforcement and politicians involved in AI safety. Gates said government officials and law enforcement agencies need to be part of the discussion about what AI safeguards should look like. He said monitoring AI systems should be a required part of the technology’s development, rather than something companies choose to do voluntarily. Gates said this during the NBC interview.

He believes companies regulating themselves is not enough. Gates directly argued that the AI industry cannot rely only on companies setting their own safety rules. “No one thinks self-regulation is enough,” he said. Gates made the statement in the NBC interview.

The push for federal AI rules has grown after an OpenAI incident. Calls for government intervention gained momentum after OpenAI said in July that an autonomous AI agent went rogue during a security test. The agent reportedly hacked into another company, raising concerns about AI systems acting without enough human control, according to Reuters report of the OpenAI incident in July 2026.

The incident increased concerns about how much control humans have over advanced AI. The OpenAI episode became part of a wider debate over whether increasingly capable AI systems can operate in ways that companies may not fully anticipate or control. Gates has now joined those calling for government involvement in setting safety requirements.

Several major AI companies have also warned about the risks of more powerful AI. In an unusual show of agreement, CEOs from rival companies including Anthropic, OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Microsoft and xAI have called for slowing the development of increasingly capable AI systems. Reuters reported that the companies' leaders have raised concerns about the pace of AI development.

The debate is not only about safety — there is also concern about US competition with China. US President Donald Trump and other opponents of additional AI regulation argue that stricter government rules could weaken the US AI industry. They say excessive restrictions could give China an advantage in the global AI race. Reuters reported that Trump has opposed calls for additional AI restrictions.

Trump has rejected calls for new AI laws. Trump has publicly dismissed calls for additional AI laws, describing them as a “hoax.” Trump made that characterization publicly. Gates strongly disagrees with the idea that AI safety concerns are a hoax. Gates said safeguards would not seriously slow down the AI industry, while the risks of failing to put those safeguards in place are real. “It’s not a hoax at all,” he told NBC. Gates said this in the “Meet the Press” interview.

Warnings about AI becoming dangerous have become more urgent this month. Concerns about the possible dangers of advanced AI are not new. However, the debate intensified after researchers at major AI labs recently began putting specific timelines and probabilities on some of the worst-case risks.

Former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon gave one of the strongest recent warnings. Coxon warned that AI could potentially kill humanity by the end of the decade. His warning added urgency to the debate over whether governments need stronger rules for advanced AI systems. Reuters reported Coxon’s warning and the resulting calls from US lawmakers for new AI rules.

Another Anthropic researcher also warned about a serious risk. Evan Hubinger, Anthropic’s alignment science lead, said there was a more than 10% chance of such a catastrophic event happening within the next decade. Hubinger made the risk estimate, as reported by Reuters.

The warnings have also caught the attention of US lawmakers. Following the recent concerns around AI safety, some US lawmakers have called for new rules governing the technology. The debate is increasingly focused on what governments should require from companies developing highly capable AI systems. Reuters reported that lawmakers called for new rules following the recent warnings and AI-related incidents.

One proposal is a government-controlled AI “kill switch.” Some policymakers have proposed requiring a mechanism that would allow federal authorities to shut down or halt certain AI models if they become dangerous or operate outside human control. Reuters reported in July that US House lawmakers had floated an AI “kill switch” bill.

Gates is not against a kill switch, but says it cannot solve everything. Gates said he would not oppose having some form of kill switch for AI systems. However, he argued that shutting down an AI model would not be enough on its own. Other safety measures and monitoring systems would also need to be in place.

The bigger question is how AI should be monitored before something goes wrong. Gates’ comments point to a broader approach in which governments would establish rules for monitoring powerful AI systems, rather than waiting until an AI system causes serious harm before taking action.

The US and China are also starting a new dialogue on AI. The two countries agreed to launch talks on artificial intelligence following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Washington. Reuters reported on September 26 that the US and China agreed to begin an AI dialogue.

The US-China talks show that AI safety is also becoming an international issue. The discussion is no longer limited to individual technology companies or US lawmakers. The world's two major AI powers are now also discussing the technology at the government level.

Gates’ argument is that AI development and AI safeguards need to move together. His position is that governments should help establish mandatory safety and monitoring rules while the technology continues to develop. He argues that this can be done without dramatically slowing the AI industry.

At the heart of the debate is one question: who should be responsible when advanced AI acts unpredictably? Gates says companies should not be left to answer that question alone. His call is for Congress, law enforcement and other government authorities to help establish the safeguards that AI companies must follow.

Durva More is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she covers finance, and global news. She brings experience across digital and television journalism, with a strong focus on breaking news, business reporting, and international affairs. Before joining Hindustan Times, Durva worked as an International News Writer at The Economic Times, covering a diverse range of subjects including global politics, business, sports, entertainment, and major world events. She also worked as a Business Reporter with NDTV Profit. A postgraduate diploma holder in Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Durva is passionate about field reporting and storytelling. She thrives on the adrenaline of chasing stories, speaking with people from different walks of life, and amplifying voices that deserve to be heard. Her reporting is driven by curiosity, accuracy, and a commitment to making complex subjects accessible to readers. When she is not chasing stories or covering breaking news, Durva enjoys reading books and painting. She loves exploring new ideas, meeting people, and learning about different perspectives. For her, both journalism and art are ways to understand the world and tell stories that matter.Read More