Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has warned of the social upheaval caused by the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and called for cooperation between the United States and China.
According to the South China Morning Post on August 27, Gates published a roughly 6,000-word essay on his personal blog the previous day, stating that AI is ushering in "one of the most transformative periods in human history." He noted that AI could serve as the "most powerful tool for reducing inequality in human history or become a source of the worst inequality."
He emphasized the need for discussions to establish joint norms before competition makes cooperation more difficult among the world's leading AI development countries and those controlling key supply chains.
Gates pointed out that the arrival of the AI era is "really different" from past technological innovations. He highlighted that the pace of AI technology development is much faster than before, and the scale of its impact on society is significantly larger, yet governments and leaders are not adequately prepared.
Notably, the US and China are considered the two major powers in the AI field and are essentially key parties for cooperation. Gates' remarks come as discussions on AI governance between the US and China are anticipated ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the US next month. However, it remains uncertain what specific topics will be on the table during the US-China dialogue.
Gates suggested that national leaders should first assess the extent of institutional preparations for the AI era by gathering experts. He identified three urgent risks: job displacement, crimes and surveillance using AI, and the impact on children and human relationships.
In particular, Gates praised China for being the most proactive in establishing safeguards related to child protection, citing recent regulations by Chinese authorities on AI companion apps that could induce emotional dependence in minors.
He noted that many Americans do not fully recognize the pace of advancements in robotics, stating, "A significant portion of cutting-edge robotics research is being conducted in China."
During the Biden administration, the US and China held their first working-level meeting on AI in May 2024 in Geneva, where they reached a consensus that decisions regarding the use of nuclear weapons should be controlled by humans, not AI. This is known to be the only high-level agreement reached between the two countries regarding AI development and utilization.
Despite fierce competition between the US and China over advanced AI models and robotics, the potential for cooperation in addressing common risks is growing.
Recently, the South China Morning Post reported that incidents of AI misuse, including hacking software systems developed by American companies, have increased, raising expectations for US-China collaboration in areas of mutual concern, such as the misuse of AI by terrorist organizations.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported on August 26 that Gates is coordinating a schedule to meet with Xi in China, with a possible meeting as early as November. Gates is expected to express his concerns about the societal impact of AI during this meeting.
Gates last met with Xi in 2023, marking Xi's first meeting with a foreign business leader since the COVID-19 pandemic.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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