The Microsoft cofounder is now one of the leading advocates for the technology and is rolling up his sleeves to join meetings with his former company to advise them on product development.
Yet, for all the promise and success of the past year, there is also a growing awareness of AI's limitations.
In an interview with Dax Shepard on the Armchair Expert podcast, Gates said he's experiencing those strengths and weaknesses firsthand: "I'm using it all the time and saying, 'OK, no, it's not good enough for this — but wow, it is good enough for that.'"
AI has proven to be a game changer in several areas, including pharmaceuticals and agriculture, that Gates and his eponymous foundation are particularly concerned with.
But he's less impressed by AI's sudoku abilities — he said it struggles with recursive reasoning — and is still trying to figure out how to integrate the tools into his own work process.
"If it's a problem that humans are not good at dealing with, then present techniques don't create some novel approach," Gates said.
In other words, despite appearances, current AI models aren't magic — they're just a lot faster at performing well-documented tasks that humans do more slowly.
The key is to have "data that embodies the expertise."
Experts know with a high degree of detail how nitrogen levels affect crop yields and are extremely good at measuring those. AI is a phenomenal help with improving forecasting models there.
By contrast, questions such as human happiness or relationship satisfaction are extremely difficult to quantify and predict, and humans have struggled with these questions with highly variable degrees of success throughout history. AI won't somehow solve those for us on its own.
"I actually think in mental counseling AIs will play a role, but boy, we're going to have to be very careful about that," Gates said. "That's going to require a lot of work that has not been done yet."
Another surprising area where Gates said current AI models stumble is complex math.
"It doesn't know to check its answers," he said. "A sudoku puzzle, you have to do a lot of recursive reasoning and it doesn't know to take extra time."
In a remarkably human way, the AI will sometimes say it "mistyped" rather than admit it was wrong, Gates added. "It's so apologetic, and it says it'll try again, but of course it gets it wrong again."
Ever the optimist, Gates said these limitations aren't a reason to put the AI genie back in the bottle. The potential upside for humanity is simply too great, even if it might take more work to get there.
While he respects individuals' and nations' right to disagree, Gates doesn't foresee a future in which the world collectively agrees to pause or roll back the development of this technology.
"Maybe we'll have a world where parts of the world have chosen to use AI in full, and other people are more like, 'Get your buggy out, baby,'" he said.
FAQs
"If it's a problem that humans are not good at dealing with, then present techniques don't create some novel approach," Gates said. In other words, despite appearances, current AI models aren't magic — they're just a lot faster at performing well-documented tasks that humans do more slowly.
Why AI is not better than humans? ›
The human mind is capable of adjusting its perspectives in response to the changing conditions of its surroundings. Because of this, people are able to remember information and excel in a variety of activities. It takes artificial intelligence a lot more time to adapt to unneeded changes.
Why won t AI replace humans? ›
Humans have a power that AI has yet to replicate—the power of intuition. Without intuition, AI can produce results that may seem correct but require a more nuanced interpretation—something AI cannot do.
What did Jeff Bezos say about AI? ›
Jeff Bezos Says AI Is 'More Likely To Save Us Than Destroy Us' As Amazon Launches AI Bot Built To Extract Your Business Details.
What does Mark Zuckerberg say about AI? ›
“Open source will ensure that more people around the world have access to the benefits and opportunities of A.I., that power isn't concentrated in the hands of a small number of companies, and that the technology can be deployed more evenly and safely across society,” Mr. Zuckerberg said. Mr.
What jobs will AI not replace? ›
Creative jobs that won't be replaced by AI
- Sculptor.
- Painter.
- Jeweler.
- Dancer.
- Stage actor.
- Watchmaker.
- Glassblower.
- Blacksmith.
AI won't replace humans, but people who can use it will
“If you don't use AI, you are going to struggle since most roles will use some form of AI in the way that they act,” he said.
What are the dangers of AI according to Elon Musk? ›
Elon Musk has warned that artificial intelligence is ''one of the biggest threats'' to humanity. This is because humans face the threat of being outsmarted by machines for the first time.
What IQ does AI have? ›
AI, does not have an IQ in the traditional sense. IQ is a measure designed specifically for humans to assess certain cognitive abilities like reasoning, problem-solving, and understanding complex ideas. It's based on standardized tests that are tailored to human thought processes and cultural contexts.
Is AI the greatest threat to humanity? ›
In 2022, a survey of AI researchers with a 17% response rate found that the majority believed there is a 10 percent or greater chance that human inability to control AI will cause an existential catastrophe.
While AI can process vast amounts of data and identify patterns that humans may miss, it cannot replace the value of human intuition and creativity in decision-making. It's important to understand that AI isn't a replacement for human intelligence.
Will a person using AI replace you? ›
The most successful professionals will be those who embrace AI as a tool to augment their skills and creativity. Therefore, it isn't AI itself that will replace you; it's someone using AI more effectively who will.
What do humans have that AI will never have? ›
But humans have a unique type of intelligence that AI can't match. Chiara Succi describes three levels of (irreplaceable) human contribution to the workplace: intelligent hand, intelligent mind and intelligent heart.
Will doctors be replaced by AI? ›
But it wasn't until the early 1970s that AI was introduced to healthcare when a program using a powerful algorithm to diagnose illness was developed. Today, the use of AI adds value to the patient experience, but it's unlikely that computers will ever replace human physicians.
What is a famous quote about artificial intelligence? ›
Creative and Innovative Artificial Intelligence Quotes
- “A year spent in artificial intelligence is enough to make one believe in God.” —Alan Perlis.
- “Artificial intelligence is growing up fast, as are robots whose facial expressions can elicit empathy and make your mirror neurons quiver.” —Diane Ackerman.
In the next 5 years AI is expected to become more powerful and capable than ever before with the development of new technologies like learning and reinforcement learning. AI systems will be able to process vast amounts of data.
What is Elon Musk's opinion about artificial intelligence Wikipedia? ›
Musk has been described as believing in longtermism, emphasizing the needs of future populations. Accordingly, Musk has stated that artificial intelligence poses the greatest existential threat to humanity.
What does Bill Gates think about robots? ›
"It's less likely that robots replace us in jobs we love and more likely that they'll do work people don't want to be doing," Gates wrote in a recent post on his blog, GatesNotes. "In the process, they can make us safer, healthier, more productive, and even less lonely."
