Bill Gates Pushes Back on Trump’s AI ‘Hoax’ Claim, Says ‘Most of Society’ Doesn’t Realize How Fast It’s Moving

Bill Gates is warning that President Donald Trump‘s skepticism about the potential dangers posed by artificial intelligence reflects a much broader problem of society not fully grasping how quickly AI could transform jobs, security and everyday life.

In an interview with CBS Mornings, the Microsoft co-founder responded to Trump’s recent contention that warnings about AI causing serious harm are a “hoax.” Gates argued that the president’s reaction mirrors the way many people initially approach emerging technologies: by comparing them with innovations that came before.

Trump is “in the place that everybody else is in,” Gates said. That is, an initial reaction wondering whether AI is simply another version of previous technological revolutions. But Gates said artificial intelligence could be fundamentally different because of both the speed of its development and its potential to eventually surpass humans at a wide range of cognitive tasks.

“Most of society is still not aware of how quickly it’s moving,” Gates told the outlet, going on to describe AI as “almost an evolutionary event.” Gates also suggested that AI could allow Trump to play a significant role in coordinating an international response to the technology’s risks and opportunities. He said a leader capable of bringing countries and other stakeholders together on AI would deserve recognition.

The comments come as technology executives and researchers are increasingly divided over how quickly companies should develop increasingly powerful AI systems. Gates emphasized that the technology presents both opportunities and potentially serious risks.

Artificial intelligence could accelerate advances in medicine, education and other industries, but sophisticated systems could also be misused for purposes including bioterrorism and financial cyberattacks, he added.

The billionaire has been raising similar concerns outside the interview. In an essay published in August, Gates argued that AI is developing considerably faster than previous technological transformations and could disrupt employment on a compressed timeline. Unlike earlier shifts that unfolded over generations, he said AI could reshape industries including law, customer service, medicine, software and manufacturing within roughly a decade.

Gates also argued that comparing AI with previous technological revolutions can be misleading. Personal computers required years of software development, falling hardware prices, and worker training before they fundamentally changed workplaces. AI, by contrast, can operate through devices people already use and communicate through natural language, potentially accelerating adoption.

At the same time, Gates is investing heavily in expanding AI’s potential benefits. The Gates Foundation announced this month that it will spend at least $1 billion over the next two years to broaden access to AI and AI-powered tools, particularly in education, health care and agriculture.