(RTTNews) - Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates has called for federal legislation to regulate the development of artificial intelligence, arguing that self-regulation by AI companies is not sufficient to ensure adequate safeguards and monitoring.

Gates said lawmakers and regulators should be involved in establishing requirements for AI safety, while acknowledging that regulation would add some costs and oversight for the industry. His comments come as executives at major AI companies debate how quickly advanced systems should be developed.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has called for greater coordination and a slower pace of frontier AI development, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has backed international standards for assessing AI capabilities, risks and safeguards. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has taken a different position, saying individual AI labs should address safety issues internally.

The debate has also expanded to the state level, with governors in California, Maryland and New York pursuing measures related to AI safety and regulation.

Microsoft President Brad Smith has separately argued that AI companies should prioritise public safety rather than waiting for federal legislation.