Bill Gates is deeply worried about AI, and he’s no longer staying quiet

Key Facts

• Fact 1: Having been conspicuously quiet on AI issues recently, Gates is back with a nearly 6,000-word essay seeking to reclaim a central role in shaping the technology globally.
• Fact 2: The result is a bleak departure from the hopeful excitement about AI present in the billionaire’s 2023 essay on the matter, though Gates insists it is not too late “to ensure that the good outweighs the bad.” Here are some of the main takeaways from Gates’ essay: A transition bigger — and faster — than the world realizes “AI will either be the greatest equalizer ever invented, or the worst source of injustice,” Gates said, predicting that “the transition to this new AI era will be one of the most turbulent times in human history.” He said many people underestimate the scale of the impact due to “misleading” comparisons to past innovations like PCs and performance-related issues with current models that are “fixed quickly.” “This time really is different,” he said, adding that “if someone had a credible plan for slowing down AI advances globally, I would likely support it.” Tax robots and reserve some jobs for humans Gates is very concerned about AI’s impact on jobs, predicting widespread, permanent unemployment and significant social upheaval.