In his upcoming Netflix series, “What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gates,” premiering on September 18th, Gates explores topics including AI, climate change, inequality, misinformation, and global health.
In an interview with The Verge, Gates shared his optimism about the technologies featured in the series and reflected on his time at Microsoft. He discussed his personal use of AI tools, such as ChatGPT, noting their usefulness for learning and writing tasks, and highlighted the integration of AI in Microsoft Teams for meeting summaries.
When asked about Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI, Gates, an advisor to Microsoft, acknowledged the company’s strong partnership with OpenAI while also pursuing its own technological advancements. He emphasized the significant investment Microsoft and other firms are making in the field.
Regarding concerns about AI’s potential negative impacts, Gates expressed confidence that the immediate benefits in areas like health and education outweigh the risks. He believes that AI can enhance productivity and support educators and students, although he acknowledged that managing AI’s misuse will be an ongoing challenge.
Gates also addressed worries about AI’s role in spreading misinformation, suggesting that while AI can contribute to deepfakes, its overall impact could be positive by helping to efficiently track and counter false information.
On the topic of AI’s energy consumption, Gates pointed out that tech companies, including Microsoft, are committed to developing clean energy solutions. He argued that the benefits of AI in scientific discovery and climate solutions outweigh the additional energy use.
Gates responded to criticisms of climate technologies like carbon capture and nuclear energy, defending their potential roles in addressing climate change. He stressed the importance of safe and efficient nuclear technology and acknowledged the need for a balanced approach to tackling environmental justice concerns.
Despite the long timelines often associated with fusion energy, Gates remains optimistic due to his investments in fusion technology. He acknowledges that while achieving the Paris Agreement goals may be challenging, he believes innovative technologies will prevent climate disaster.
Reflecting on his tenure at Microsoft, Gates expressed satisfaction with his achievements and praised his successors for maintaining the company’s success. He also speculated on the potential impact of early 2000s antitrust actions against Microsoft, noting that any part of the company would have likely thrived despite such challenges.