A recent BBC interview with the former Google chief executive officer, Eric Schmidt, highlighted his worry about extreme risks posed by AI development that could harm innocent people.

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt warned that Western nations risk falling behind China in AI leadership if they do not prioritize open-source models, emphasizing the need for balanced development amid rising global competition.

Schmidt called for government oversight on private tech companies developing AI models, but warned that too much regulation can stifle innovation

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt called for the development of open-source AI models, as U.S.-based AI firms reassess their model development plans following the entry of China’s DeepSeek R1, which was developed at a fraction of its rivals’ costs.

Eric Schmidt told the BBC: "The real fears that I have are not the ones that most people talk about AI - I talk about extreme risk." The tech billionaire, who held senior posts at

A former chief executive of Google has warned about the “extreme risk” from terrorists or rogue states using artificial intelligence (AI). Eric Schmidt called for governments to have oversight of private tech companies.