Bill Gates Wants to Take a Bigger Role In AI Safety. His Push Could Put Him At Odds With Trump.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is preparing to expand his involvement in artificial intelligence safety, reaching out to prominent technology executives and considering a substantial commitment of his personal resources to push for stronger oversight of rapidly advancing AI systems.

The billionaire has held discussions with AI researchers, industry leaders and safety advocates, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, as he considers how to play a more active role in addressing the technology's potential risks.

Gates has also indicated that he could use his relationships with corporate leaders to support the effort, according to an Axios report, which cited people familiar with his private discussions.

"I can reach CEOs on this better than you can," Gates told one person he consulted about AI safety, according to the report.

The conversations have centered on the growing capabilities of advanced AI models, concerns about security and the need for stronger government oversight. Gates has not announced a formal campaign, a specific funding commitment or a timetable for the initiative.

His increased involvement follows a series of public warnings about the potential consequences of artificial intelligence for employment, cybersecurity and society.

In an August 26 essay published on Gates Notes, Gates said governments were not adequately prepared for the changes AI could bring to the economy and everyday life.

He identified three major areas of concern: permanent job losses, the use of AI to facilitate harmful activities and the potential effects of AI systems on people's relationships and psychological well-being.

Gates warned that AI could replace workers across several industries, including customer service, software development, manufacturing, medicine and law.

Unlike previous technological changes, he argued, AI can perform cognitive tasks traditionally carried out by humans, potentially affecting both white-collar and blue-collar employment.

He expressed particular concern about entry-level and mid-level positions, saying younger workers could face a labor market with fewer opportunities as companies adopt increasingly capable AI systems.

Gates proposed that governments consider reserving certain jobs and responsibilities for humans, even when AI systems become capable of performing the work.

He also suggested taxing AI usage and robots to help finance worker retraining and other programs supporting people displaced by automation.

Beyond employment, Gates called for the creation of national institutions responsible for coordinating AI policy across government departments.

He argued that existing regulatory structures were not designed to manage a technology affecting multiple sectors simultaneously, including employment, education, national security, health care, finance and public infrastructure.

His proposal also included establishing an international organization to address AI-related risks that extend across national borders.

Gates pointed to international arrangements governing nuclear inspections and aviation safety as examples of cooperation that could inform such an institution.

Those proposals differ from the approach outlined by President Donald Trump's administration, which has emphasized accelerating American AI development while limiting mandatory regulatory requirements.

In a June 2 executive order, Trump directed federal agencies to develop a voluntary framework allowing AI developers to work with the government on evaluating advanced models and strengthening cybersecurity.

The order provides for developers to give federal authorities early access to certain advanced AI models before their release to trusted partners.

It also explicitly states that the framework does not authorize mandatory government licensing or approval requirements for developing, publishing or distributing AI models.

The administration has described its approach as a way to support American AI innovation while addressing national security and cybersecurity concerns.

Gates, meanwhile, has argued that AI companies should not be solely responsible for determining how the technology is governed.

His concerns also extend to the possibility that increasingly sophisticated AI tools could make cyberattacks, fraud and disinformation easier to carry out.

The latest effort represents a more active approach than Gates outlined in 2023, when he published an essay describing AI's risks as serious but manageable.

At the time, he compared the challenges associated with artificial intelligence to earlier technological developments, including the introduction of personal computers and the internet.

In his August 2026 essay, Gates acknowledged that slowing AI development internationally would be difficult because of economic competition and geopolitical pressures.

He said he would support a credible global agreement to slow AI advances but did not believe such an arrangement was likely.