Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, has hailed artificial intelligence (AI) as the most significant technological development in decades. In a blog post on Tuesday, he likened it to the creation of the microprocessor, personal computer, internet, and mobile phone in terms of its fundamental importance. Gates believes that AI will transform the way people work, learn, travel, receive healthcare, and communicate with one another.
Gates wrote about AI technology used by chatbot ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, an AI chatbot programmed to answer questions online using natural, human-like language. The team behind ChatGPT received a multibillion-dollar investment from Microsoft in January 2023, where Gates still serves as an advisor. However, ChatGPT is not the only AI-powered chatbot available, as Google recently launched its own rival called Bard.
Gates believes that AI tech will lead to similar advancements, just as the development of the GUI led to the Windows and Mac OS operating systems in the 1980s. He calls on governments to work with industry to "limit the risks" of AI while acknowledging that AI technology can be used to save lives. He believes that AI-driven improvements will be particularly important for poor countries, where the majority of under-5 deaths occur.
Overall, Bill Gates emphasizes the need for a targeted approach to AI technology in the future, with reliable funding and the right policies to ensure that AI is used to reduce inequity. In a nutshell, Gates urges the world's brightest minds to focus on its biggest problems and harness the power of AI to solve them.
