New Delhi, September 16, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has highlighted India as an important example of how artificial intelligence can be deployed rapidly for social and developmental benefits, while cautioning that the world may not yet be prepared for the scale and speed of AI-driven change.
In a conversation with NDTV, Gates described AI as fundamentally different from earlier technological revolutions such as the personal computer and the internet, whose development he witnessed and helped shape during his years at Microsoft.
“It’s a stunning set of capabilities,” Gates said, adding that India could demonstrate how “we can drive the good stuff as fast as possible”.
At the same time, the billionaire philanthropist said societies should consider whether slowing the pace of AI development could provide more time to prepare for the profound changes the technology may bring.
“AI is a very unique technology,” Gates said. “I caution people who think it’ll be as easy to manage the impacts of AI as it’s been to manage other technologies,” he added.
Gates said the breadth and speed of AI development had prompted him, despite his long-standing advocacy of innovation, to question whether the pace of technological progress itself should be reconsidered.
“If we could slow things down, I think we should consider that because of this need to get ready for such a rapid change,” he told NDTV.
“Throughout my life, I have been a champion of innovation,” Gates said, referring to his work at Microsoft as well as through the Gates Foundation. “This is a rare case where innovation may be so broad and so dramatic that we’re not ready for it.”
Gates also pointed to cybersecurity as one of the most immediate risks associated with increasingly capable AI tools. He warned that the technology could significantly enhance the capabilities of those seeking to conduct cyberattacks, making it necessary for defensive systems to evolve at a similar pace.
“In the near term, there are cyberattacks where these AI tools will enable the offensive side,” he said.
He also raised questions about the longer-term challenge of keeping increasingly capable AI systems under human control.
“The idea of keeping the AI under control, I have always thought of that as something fairly far out in the future,” Gates said, while pointing to recent instances in reinforcement learning in which AI systems displayed unexpected behaviour.
FOLLOW NOW
