Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates believes technology will not replace humans, but it could make a 3-day work week possible. The billionaire shared his views while speaking to South African comedian and writer Trevor Noah on his podcast ‘What Now’.
The 68-year-old Microsoft co-founder said AI will not take away jobs, but will “change them forever”. In the 45-minute conversation, the billionaire discussed how AI and technology could change lives forever.
When Mr Noah asked about the threat of artificial intelligence to jobs, Mr Gates said there could one day be a time when people “don’t have to work so hard”.
Mr Gates said: “If you end up with a society where you only have to work three days a week, that’s probably OK”.
He even said there could be a world where “machines can make all the food and all the stuff”.
The billionaire has highlighted both the risks and benefits of AI in previous interviews and blogs. In July, he addressed the risks of AI.
“I don’t think the impact of AI will be as dramatic as the industrial revolution, but it will certainly be as big as the introduction of the PC. Word processors didn’t eliminate office work, but they changed it forever,” Gates said at the time. “Employers and employees had to adapt, and they did.”
He also highlighted the risks of AI, including “misinformation and deepfakes, security threats, changes to the labour market, and the impact on education”.
“This is not the first time that a new technology has caused a big change in the job market. I don’t think the impact of AI will be as dramatic as the industrial revolution, but it will certainly be as big as the introduction of the PC,” he wrote.
“Another thing that’s clear to me is that the future of AI is not as bleak as some people think, or as rosy as others think. The risks are real, but I am optimistic that they can be managed,” he added.
