iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Bill Gates has warned that AI could make cyberattacks more dangerous when bad actors can use advanced models without safeguards. He argues that relying on AI companies to police themselves is not enough. But the available sources do not confirm the headline’s claim that Gates wants a new meeting with Donald Trump.
What Gates warned about AI
In an interview reported by AFP on October 11, 2026, Gates warned that bad actors using the latest AI models without safeguards could produce what he called “negative surprises” over the coming year, particularly in cyberattacks. That is Gates’s forecast, not a measured estimate or a count of attacks expected to occur. AFP
AFP quoted Gates saying, “It’s really bad people using AI, particularly in AI where you can take out all the safeguards.” He also said that when bad actors have access to the latest models without safeguards, “over the next year, primarily in the cyber area, we are going to have a lot of negative surprises.” These comments concern people misusing AI; they do not establish that AI systems will independently escape human control.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Why Gates says company self-regulation is not enough
Gates’s concern is not simply that AI can be powerful. He questions whether the companies developing or deploying it should be the only check on its risks. AFP attributed this statement to him: “The idea that for the most dangerous technology humans ever invented, that that’s the final word, that just the companies themselves are the only check that society has…it’s clear we’re not doing enough.”
#1 Best Overall
In the interview transcript, Gates also argued for safeguards and monitoring to reduce risks from bad actors, including cyber and biological misuse. That is his policy position: he sees protections and oversight beyond company-only decisions as necessary. It should not be mistaken for proof that any particular regulatory proposal will work or that the cited sources settle how oversight should be designed. The Ezra Klein Show interview transcript
What “most dangerous technology ever” means here
The headline phrase is a characterization of Gates’s warning, not a direct quotation established by the available current reporting. A 2024 Washington Post transcript records General Mark Milley recalling that Gates, Stephen Hawking, and Elon Musk had expressed views to the effect that AI could be humanity’s most powerful and potentially most dangerous technology. That is Milley’s summary of their views, not a verbatim statement from Gates. The Washington Post transcript, June 13, 2024
Rank #2
Does Gates want a new meeting with Trump?
The available sources do not confirm that Gates has requested or wants a new meeting with Donald Trump. The interview transcript discusses the Trump administration’s approach to AI and records Gates saying the last time he spoke with Trump was in December. It does not establish when that December conversation took place or indicate that Gates is seeking another meeting.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteAFP reports Gates criticizing the idea, attributed to Trump, that AI companies’ self-regulation is enough to protect the public. That reported disagreement is not evidence of a meeting request. Without a direct statement from Gates or a reliable report confirming one, the meeting claim remains unverified.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
