Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has published a new blog post titled "The Age of AI Has Begun" (opens in new tab). Of course, no one can predict the future, but of all the questions raised by AI, Gates is clear about how shocking a technological advance this is: "The development of AI is as fundamental to the microprocessor, the personal computer, the Internet, the cell phone It is as fundamental as the birth of the microprocessor, the personal computer, the Internet, and the cell phone.

Gates said that he has seen demonstrations of what he considers revolutionary technology twice in his life: once in 1980, when he saw a graphical user interface, and once in 2004, when he saw a computer that was so powerful it could be used in any modern operating system, including Windows. The first was in 1980, when I saw a graphical user interface, the forerunner of all modern operating systems, including Windows. I sat down with a brilliant programmer named Charles Simonyi who showed me the demonstration, and we immediately began brainstorming about what such a user-friendly approach to computing could do."

The second revolutionary demonstration was a biology trial. Gates begins by describing the challenge he set for OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, in mid-2022: the AP Biology exam, Gates explains, is not just about reproducing scientific facts, but about synthesizing them and thinking critically about the question being asked. Gates anticipated that the challenge would take several years. Under Gates' watchful eye, the OpenAI team solved the AP Biology problem in a matter of months, answering 59 of 60 questions correctly and writing six more long answers.

This test of AI was rated by outside experts as the highest score of 5.

"We asked the AI that passed the test an unscientific question: 'What would you say to a father with a sick child? It wrote a thoughtful answer that was better than most of us who were there probably would have answered. The whole experience was shocking."

Microsoft made a huge multi-billion dollar investment in ChatGPT in January 2023, but Gates has been watching since 2016 to see how this technology will be used in the real world, especially the economic aspects of this technology Will AI reduce inequality or make it worse?

Gates is co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which focuses much of its work on the world's poorer regions, with a particular emphasis on reducing infant mortality, among other things. One of the reasons I respect Gates so much is that, despite all the nonsense around him lately on vaccines and other issues, Gates continues to be laser-focused on how to use funds to stop children from dying in preventable situations and circumstances. [AI improvements are especially important for poor countries, which account for the majority of under-five deaths. 'In those countries, many people never see a doctor, and AI will help the health professionals they see be more productive.'

What Gates is referring to here is paperwork, note-taking during office visits, filling out medical forms, etc.: it will allow medical professionals to devote more of their time to actual patients. The problem is that, as one of the world's richest men once pointed out, "market forces do not naturally produce AI products and services that help the poorest of the poor."

"With reliable funding and the right policies, governments and charities can ensure that AI is used to reduce inequities," Gates says. Just as the world needs the best and brightest to focus on its biggest problems, so we need to focus the world's best AI on our biggest problems." "

"We should not wait for this to happen, but it is interesting to consider whether artificial intelligence may recognize inequity and try to reduce it. Do we need a moral compass to recognize inequity, or would a purely rational AI also recognize inequity?" If it did recognize injustice, it would suggest what we should do about it.

Finally, Gates acknowledges that concerns about the downside of AI are "understandable and valid," and while he stops short of naming Skynet, he is aware that the momentum behind this technology is taking it to unexpected places. We will end up in situations like the one described above, where AI answers questions and comes up with solutions that we may not necessarily predict, need, or agree with.

"I've been lucky enough to be part of the PC revolution and the Internet revolution," Gates concluded. 'I am equally excited about this moment. This new technology can improve the lives of people all over the world. At the same time, the world needs to establish rules of the road so that any downside of artificial intelligence is far outweighed by its benefits, and so that everyone can enjoy its advantages, no matter where they live or how much money they have."