Bill Gates is optimistic about the future of AI: In an interview with The Verge, the Microsoft founder talks about the opportunities and challenges of the technology. He is less concerned about possible risks than many experts.
Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and influential technology visionary, sees more opportunities than risks in artificial intelligence (AI). In a recent interview with The Verge, Gates was surprisingly calm about the potential dangers of AI technologies.
Over the next decade, we will see increased productivity in many areas, which is mostly excellent news Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder
He particularly emphasizes the positive impact on areas such as health and education. As an example, he cites the use of AI tools such as Khanmigo, which is based on ChatGPT and supports teachers in their work.
While many experts warn about the potential of AI to spread disinformation, Gates puts these concerns into perspective: “Humans can type disinformation into a word processor. You don’t need AI to write crazy things.” However, this statement has been criticized because it ignores the real problem – the scalability of AI-generated disinformation.
Another important topic that Gates addresses is the energy consumption of AI systems. Despite the growing electricity demand from AI data centers, Gates is optimistic: “The actual increase from AI data centers would be well below ten percent, even in extreme scenarios.” He emphasizes that technology companies like Microsoft are committed to using clean energy sources.
Gates sees nuclear fusion and new forms of nuclear fission as promising technologies for the future of energy supply. However, he admits that despite these innovations, the world will probably miss the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. “We will certainly miss the 1.5 degree target and probably the two degree target as well,” Gates said.
With the Netflix series “What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gates”, which starts on September 18th, the tech pioneer wants to make his visions accessible to a wider audience. In addition to AI, the series also covers topics such as climate change, inequality and global health. Gates’ optimism contrasts with the warnings of many AI experts, who point to potential risks such as job losses due to automation or ethical problems in AI decisions.
Critics argue that Gates’ position may underestimate the complex challenges associated with the rapid development of AI. Infographic: Bill Gates – The life of the Microsoft founder Despite his positive view, Gates recognizes that society is faced with the task of using AI responsibly. He emphasizes the need for regulations and ethical guidelines to minimize potential negative impacts.
