Bill Gates Warns AI Could Permanently Eliminate Millions of Jobs
Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates, has warned that the world’s transition into the artificial intelligence era could rank among the most disruptive periods in human history.
He said governments were failing to do enough to prepare for the widespread job losses and social and economic disruptions that could result from the rapid advancement of AI.
Gates made the remarks in a more than 6,000-word essay titled “The turbulent AI era is here. The choices we make now are critical,” published on his Gates Notes website on Wednesday.
According to him, AI could either help narrow global inequality or widen the gap between the wealthy and the poor, depending on how governments, businesses and societies manage its rapid growth.
“In terms of equity, AI will either be the greatest equalizer ever invented, or the worst source of injustice.
“The challenge is monumental. Even under the best circumstances, the transition to this new AI era will be one of the most turbulent times in human history,” he wrote.
Gates argued that the world was already lagging in preparing for the changes AI could bring, saying governments, experts and communities had not fully addressed the scale of the potential disruption.
“Unfortunately, right now we are not preparing for it. I don’t see evidence that leaders, experts, and communities are confronting the challenges adequately. There is no plan to ease the entry into the AI era,” he stated.
He said the rapid deployment of AI sets it apart from previous technological breakthroughs, which took considerably longer to transform workplaces.
“When the PC came along, it took 20 years to significantly change how we worked because the software had to be developed, the price had to come down, and people had to learn how to use the tools and incorporate them into their business processes.
“AI, on the other hand, runs on the devices we already have, and it uses natural language. We don’t have to adapt to it because it can adapt to us. It can watch the same training video that is used to train human workers and learn from existing data,” he hinted.
Gates listed widespread job losses among the three major threats posed by the AI transition, warning that the disruption could result in permanent changes to the labour market.
“Many jobs will disappear forever,” he wrote.
He said entry-level and mid-level workers could face the greatest risks, while many of the new roles created by AI may demand specialised skills that could take years to develop.
“AI may not reach this level, but its impact will not go away with an economic cycle. The jobs at most risk are entry- and mid-level, and the new jobs being created will mostly require skills that take many years to learn.”
Gates added that the effects of AI would not be limited to conventional technology and office-based jobs.
He further cautioned that blue-collar workers could eventually face similar disruption as advances in robotics accelerate, adding that he was especially concerned about young people preparing to enter the labour market.
According to Gates, the scale of the disruption could compel societies to rethink the traditional link between employment, income and economic security.