Bill Gates says world unprepared for 'turbulent AI era'

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Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is sounding the alarm about the rapid advancement in artificial intelligence, stating the world is unprepared for the “social, political, and economic upheaval” AI will cause.

In an essay published on his personal website Wednesday, the former head of the software giant said humans are at a pivotal point in the “turbulent AI era,” where artificial intelligence could become either the “greatest equalizer ever invented, or the worst source of injustice,” adding that he saw no “evidence that leaders, experts, and communities are confronting the challenges adequately.”

He warned that artificial intelligence is affecting everyone from white- and blue-collar workers who face threats to their jobs and livelihoods, to critical infrastructure that is increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks using new AI capabilities, to youths turning to chatbots for companionship.

He said the AI transition is different from technological advancements in the past, which took “several generations and created new jobs where human cognition was required” with AI can now replacing human cognitive work.

“Because it can see, listen, speak, and reason and will eventually do physical work just as smoothly as any human, it will not just affect one sector,” Gates said, noting that AI will take over jobs in areas such as law, customer service, medicine, software, and manufacturing.

“It will hit these industries rapidly, over the course of a decade rather than a few generations,” he warned. “There will be some new jobs, but without the right policies there will be far fewer than exist today.”

On the benefits of advancements in artificial intelligence, he said AI can “accelerate innovation in the world’s toughest technical challenges” such as “providing reliable clean energy for everyone, combating climate change, growing enough food, eradicating diseases, and more.”

Among the ideas Gates suggested to ensure AI’s benefits outweigh the harm it causes, he recommended national and international institutions work together on solutions to challenges raised by AI.

“None of our current institutions were designed to handle a technology that spreads so fast and touches so many parts of our lives. So we’ll need to make new ones,” Gates said.

“My message to leaders is: You have a chance to act now, before unemployment rises sharply, communities are hurting, and public trust has eroded,” he said.

“You can make sure that your government handles the problem holistically, rather than divvying it up into multiple bureaucratic fiefdoms. You can make sure AI benefits everyone. And you can work with other governments to meet this national and global challenge.”