Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) could fuel a surge in cyberattacks over the coming year, urging governments and society to introduce stronger safeguards against the misuse of the technology.
Gates raised the alarm during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, describing AI as potentially the most dangerous technology developed by humans and cautioning that its rapid advancement could expose the world to serious security threats.
According to the billionaire technology entrepreneur, malicious actors could exploit advanced AI systems to launch sophisticated cyberattacks, particularly when developers or users remove the safety measures designed to prevent harmful applications.
Gates identified cybersecurity as the area where the world could experience the most immediate negative consequences from AI over the next year.
He explained that the immediate concern was not necessarily AI systems becoming uncontrollable but people deliberately using the technology to carry out harmful activities.
Gates said the possibility of AI operating without adequate safeguards was particularly concerning because it could give malicious individuals access to powerful tools capable of causing significant damage.
He also warned that the misuse of AI could extend beyond cybercrime to biological threats, including bioterrorism, making stronger restrictions necessary to prevent dangerous applications.
The Microsoft co-founder argued that allowing people to remove protective measures from advanced AI models could create serious risks, especially when those tools fall into the hands of individuals intent on causing harm.
His comments come amid growing international debate over how governments should regulate artificial intelligence as the technology becomes more powerful and widely accessible.
In August, Gates also warned in a lengthy public post that the world was inadequately prepared for the widespread disruption AI could bring, particularly to employment and the global workforce.
His latest remarks place him among prominent technology industry figures expressing concern about the potential consequences of AI development without sufficient oversight.
During the CNN interview, Gates also challenged the position advocated by US President Donald Trump that AI companies could rely primarily on self-regulation to manage the technology’s risks.
Gates questioned whether technology companies should be the only bodies responsible for determining how potentially dangerous AI systems are developed and deployed.
He maintained that relying solely on companies to regulate their own products was insufficient, arguing that broader societal involvement was necessary to address the threats posed by advanced artificial intelligence.
The warning adds to the growing discussion about balancing AI innovation with public safety, particularly as governments and technology companies face pressure to establish safeguards against cybercrime and other forms of AI-enabled harm.
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