Bill Gates believes artificial intelligence (AI) will significantly change how we work within the next decade, reducing the need for human involvement in many tasks.
Speaking on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in February, Gates said that while we still rely on human expertise today—like doctors and teachers—AI will soon make these services widely available and much cheaper. “In the next decade, AI will provide great medical advice and tutoring for free,” Gates predicted.
In another conversation with Harvard professor Arthur Brooks, Gates called this shift a time of “free intelligence.” He expects AI to transform healthcare, education, and personal assistance by improving medical diagnoses, teaching, and virtual help. “It’s happening fast, and there’s no limit to how far it can go,” Gates added.
Not everyone shares Gates’s excitement. Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI, warned in his 2023 book The Coming Wave that while AI might enhance human skills at first, it could eventually replace many jobs and disrupt industries.
Still, Gates remains hopeful. He sees AI as a tool for big advances in medical research, fighting climate change, and improving education. He encourages young innovators to explore AI opportunities, calling it “the frontier” of business and technology.
Gates has supported AI for years. In 2017, he called it a key area for startups. He was also impressed when OpenAI quickly developed an AI model that excelled at AP Biology, comparing it to the game-changing rise of graphical user interfaces in the 1980s.
While AI may take over jobs in fields like manufacturing and farming, Gates believes some human experiences—like playing baseball—will always be unique to people. As AI continues to evolve, Gates’s outlook highlights both the exciting possibilities and the challenges ahead.
