INTERNATIONAL: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said in an interview with NBC’s Jimmy Fallon that within the next 10 years, with the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), “great medical advice (and) great tutoring” from humans may no longer be necessary “for most” specialised tasks, according to the New York Post.
However, netizens are not convinced. One commenter said, “I understand the efficiency Al can bring, but I’m not convinced it can replace the human touch and empathy doctors and teachers provide. There’s value in personal connections.”
Another said that it sounded like a plot from a science fiction movie, making her both nervous and excited. She said, “No matter how powerful the technology is, human empathy, emotional interaction, and judgment cannot be fully replicated by AI. Perhaps the future is about combining technology with human wisdom, rather than one replacing the other.”
Others even joked, “Maybe it has replaced him (Bill Gates) because it doesn’t look like him,” while another remarked, “How fast can AI get him replaced?”
Meanwhile, it gave some a sigh of relief, with one saying, “Good, I could use a vacation in 10 years. Fine by me. I’ll travel.”
Last month, Mr Gates told Harvard professor Arthur Brooks, known for his research on happiness, about a “free intelligence” era where AI technology would revolutionise healthcare, diagnosis, and education, with AI tutors becoming broadly available.
He said, “It’s very profound and even a little bit scary — because it’s happening very quickly, and there is no upper bound.”
There is still debate over whether AI will replace jobs or simply make them evolve.
The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs Report revealed that 41 per cent of employers are considering downsizing their workforce due to artificial intelligence (AI); however, experts have said that it’s more of an upskilling issue.
While Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman echoed this sentiment in his book “The Coming Wave,” stating that AI tools would “only temporarily augment human intelligence” and would make people using it smarter, more time efficient, and even aid in economic growth, he also pointed out that it’s “fundamentally labor replacing.”
Nonetheless, Mr Gates acknowledged that certain activities will always be human-specific. He also said in a 2023 blog post that AI has a tendency for errors and misinformation.
“There will be some things we reserve for ourselves, but in terms of making things and moving things and growing food, over time those will be basically solved problems,” he said to Mr Fallon.
He also said he wanted to encourage young people at Microsoft, OpenAI, and beyond, adding, “Hey, here’s the frontier,” because they have a “fresher look” and it’s a “fantastic opportunity.”
Mr Gates, who had anticipated AI’s revolutionary potential for nearly a decade, admitted that recent breakthroughs have surpassed his expectations. /TISG
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