Microsoft Co-Founder Bill Gates Says AI is “Utterly” Different, Warns of Jobs and Security Risks

If you were ever skeptical about the risks posed by AI to human civilization, you now have some reason to believe it, especially when it is coming from a renowned philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates.

Bill Gates says this AI shift is different

In the recent New York Times interview, Gates rejected comparisons with earlier technological revolutions. He called the current transition “utterly, absolutely, completely, totally different.” His concern centers on AI becoming capable across many types of knowledge work. Gates believes previous technological changes created new jobs after destroying others.

He now questions whether that pattern will hold. AI could potentially affect multiple industries before displaced workers have somewhere else to move. Gates also accused technology leaders of privately understanding the risks while publicly staying mum about the risks. He pointed to the enormous investment surrounding advanced AI. “They’re just full speed ahead and hoping that the good outweighs the bad,” Gates said.

Gates wants governments to move faster

The warning goes beyond employment. Gates highlighted potential threats involving bioweapons, cybersecurity, misinformation, and increasingly persuasive AI companions. The cybersecurity concerns are real, as Claude hacked three organizations recently.

He also questioned whether companies should regulate themselves. His answer was blunt: “Self-regulation on the most dangerous tool ever invented? No, thanks!”

Gates has proposed taxing AI usage and robots. He also wants some roles, especially caregiving, designated as “Human Reserved.” His comments come alongside his recently published, nearly 6,000-word essay detailing similar concerns and proposed responses.

The sharpest personal moment came when Gates discussed Claude Code. He said seeing AI outperform him at programming produced a simple reaction: “What the hell?”

That reaction matters because programming is one area Gates knows extremely well. His argument is not that AI has no value. He still sees major potential in healthcare, education, science, and other areas. The fight, instead, is about whether society can manage the transition before the technology moves faster than policy.

At a time when AI investment keeps growing, Gates is urging governments to stop treating the disruption as inevitable. On the other hand, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently admitted that AI adoption has been slower than expected.

Well, it will be interesting to see whether policymakers will actually make some serious move before the consequences become harder to reverse.