Bill Gates warned Reuters that no country is fully prepared for the societal disruptions posed by artificial intelligence, citing risks to jobs, security and potential addiction to AI companions. He said the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will invest at least $1 billion over two years to broaden AI access and strengthen data foundations. Gates urged global coordination—likening AI to an "alien intelligence"—and said his reputation and the foundation's standing remain intact after scrutiny over past ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Bill Gates: Governments 'Way Behind' on AI, Foundation to Spend $1 Billion to Expand Access
Bill Gates attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2026. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
LONDON, Sept 15 (Reuters) — No government in the world is adequately prepared for the societal changes artificial intelligence will bring, Bill Gates told Reuters in a wide‑ranging interview, warning that the technology carries serious risks as well as opportunities.
The Microsoft co‑founder and philanthropist, who until recently expressed cautious optimism about AI, said he has shifted his view and now fears threats to jobs, new avenues for attacks, and the potential for people to become dependent on AI companions.
"I don't think any government is nearly as deep on this as they have to be," Gates said, while also noting the technology's ability to benefit the poorest communities if it is well governed and equitably accessible. He said the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will commit at least $1 billion over the next two years to expand access to AI and strengthen the data foundations that underpin it.
Gates said he has been briefing world leaders about these concerns, including U.S. officials and President Donald Trump and his team, and that he plans to meet China's President Xi Jinping later this year.
Health, Education and Data
The foundation's $1 billion commitment is part of previously announced plans to spend roughly $9 billion annually across global health, education and development work. The funds will support partners in education, healthcare and agriculture and aim to help build data infrastructure so large language models work in the many languages people actually speak.
"For health it's hard to overstate what the potential is," Gates said, citing ways AI can assist frontline health workers, accelerate drug and vaccine discovery, and improve diagnostics in underserved communities.
Call For Global Coordination
While optimistic about practical benefits, Gates urged coordinated government action to mitigate risks. He likened the arrival of AI to a disaster‑movie scenario that would require nations to work together.
"There's all sorts of movies where some aliens are coming, and magically the U.S. and China and everybody comes together to solve the problem," he said. "AI is kind of like this alien intelligence. It's here, and we better do like it shows in those movies."
Reputational Questions
Earlier this year, Gates testified before Congress about his past association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Gates has said he regrets the relationship and that he initially hoped Epstein would support global health work; he also said Epstein later attempted to blackmail him over personal matters.
An external review prompted by those links found no payments to Epstein or evidence of criminal involvement. Gates told Reuters the episode has not materially damaged his or the foundation's access to government leaders or the willingness of journalists to engage with him, and that demand for the foundation's expertise on issues like reducing child deaths and eliminating malaria has not declined.
(Reporting by Jennifer Rigby; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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