Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates posted an article explaining how artificial intelligence will transform the world. He believes AI bots will transcend existing digital assistants as proactive agents. Gates says they will have such an advanced understanding of your needs that they give accurate suggestions before you give them instructions.
Artificial intelligence development is in full swing as OpenAI and other tech firms rapidly launch powerful AI tools better than the previous. Consequently, these programs will inevitably impact several aspects of daily life. Fortunately, Bill Gates could give us a glimpse of that future so that we can prepare.
This article will elaborate on the tech pioneer’s insights on our upcoming AI future. Also, I will include examples to further illustrate how plausible his predictions are.
The 5 ways AI will change the world
- Personal assistant
- Healthcare
- Education
- Productivity
- Entertainment and shopping
1. Personal assistant
People dismiss the AI bot hype by saying it will be a glorified Clippy tool. The latter was a digital assistant present in all Microsoft 97 and 2003 operating systems that became infamous for its uselessness.
However, Bill Gates says artificial intelligence systems will become drastically better than those old tools. “You’ll be able to have nuanced conversations with them,” he said,
“They will be much more personalized, and they won’t be limited to relatively simple tasks writing a letter,” Gates added. Give your AI permission, and it will provide what it thinks you need.
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“Imagine that you want to plan a trip. A travel bot will identify hotels that fit your budget. An agent will know what time of year you’ll be traveling and, based on its knowledge about whether you always try a new destination or like to return to the same place repeatedly, it will be able to suggest locations.”
“When asked, it will recommend things to do based on your interests and propensity for adventure, and it will book reservations at the types of restaurants you would enjoy. If you want this kind of deeply personalized planning today, you need to pay a travel agent and spend time telling them what you want.”
Google is already trying to fulfill this Bill Gates AI future. For example, its Tailwind project is a program that will allow people to create proprietary AI assistants.
2. Healthcare
Bill Gates says artificial intelligence systems will guide people without medical experience to perform essential first aid effectively. For example, it will help them perform basic triage and decide whether to request more treatment.
The Microsoft co-founder also believes AI will become an important tool for doctors. Coincidentally, Google has been developing a medical chatbot with the nonprofit Mayo Clinic.
“Half of all US military veterans who need mental healthcare don’t get it,” Gates stated. Fortunately, he believes AI tools will help provide such a service to those who need it.
Believe it or not, people have been using AI bots for this purpose. For example, more are using ChatGPT as a replacement for expensive and unreliable psychological therapies.
3. Education
Teachers have been struggling to adapt to the AI trend. Worse, they fear this technology could replace them. However, Bill Gates says it will supplement their work instead.
It will personalize work for students and free teachers from paperwork and other mundane tasks so that they can focus on more important aspects of their jobs. Even better, Gates says it is just the beginning.
“For example, few families can pay for a tutor who works one-on-one with a student to supplement their classroom work. If agents can capture what makes a tutor effective, they’ll unlock this supplemental instruction for everyone who wants it.”
“If a tutoring agent knows that a kid likes Minecraft and Taylor Swift, it will use Minecraft to teach them about calculating the volume and area of shapes and Taylor’s lyrics to teach them about storytelling and rhyme schemes. The experience will be far richer—with graphics and sound, for example—and more personalized than today’s text-based tutors.”
We already have educational programs that use modern AI. For example, Duolingo Max uses GPT-4, OpenAI’s advanced large language model, to simulate real-life interactions. As a result, students can apply what they’ve learned as soon as possible, accelerating the learning process.
4. Productivity
Most tech firms say their artificial intelligence tools boost productivity, and Microsoft is no exception. Bill Gates says the company’s Copilot program adds AI capabilities to the trusty Office apps.
The tech trailblazer said they can turn written documents into slide decks, answer questions about spreadsheets, and summarize email threads. However, he believes future agents will do more.
“Whether you work in an office or not, your agent will be able to help you in the same way that personal assistants support executives today,” Gates said.
“If your friend just had surgery, your agent will offer to send flowers and be able to order them for you. If you tell it you’d like to catch up with your old college roommate, it will work with their agent to find a time to get together, and just before you arrive, it will remind you that their oldest child just started college at the local university.”
Soon, our AI agents may have physical humanoid bodies. For example, Alana AI and Heriot-Watt University recently unveiled an AI assistant with a robotic frame called FurChat.
5. Entertainment and shopping
The Microsoft pioneer said AI can already help people pick TV shows, movies, and other entertainment media. Nowadays, it’s a nifty tool considering the abundance of online content.
Gates also cited Spotify DJ as a great example. It plays songs based on your preferences, but it also talks and calls you by name. Its AI scans your favorite songs to assign you a Listening Personality describing your real-life traits. Spotify DJ works similarly, except it provides a set of songs.
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Also, it uses the voice of Spotify’s Head of Cultural Partnerships to announce your songs. As a result, you feel like you have a DJ in the palm of your hand!
He added, “If you want to buy a camera, you’ll have your agent read all the reviews for you, summarize them, make a recommendation, and place an order for it once you’ve made a decision.”
“If you tell your agent that you want to watch Star Wars, it will know whether you’re subscribed to the right streaming service, and if you aren’t, it will offer to sign you up. And if you don’t know what you’re in the mood for, it will make customized suggestions and then figure out how to play the movie or show you choose.”
Conclusion
Bill Gates says artificial intelligence will change the way we use computers. This technology will become so advanced that everyone will have digital agents for their daily tasks.
Contrary to popular belief, the Microsoft leader’s AI future is no mere pipe dream. Many companies are realizing that vision by developing relevant products and services.
In response, everyone should know how to adapt to our digital future. Start by following the latest digital tips and trends at Inquirer Tech.
Frequently asked questions about the future of AI
How will artificial intelligence shape the future?
AI development is advancing at such a rapid pace that we will soon have digital assistants for every task. For example, you might use Microsoft AI at work and then chill with Spotify’s AI at home. Soon, artificial intelligence will boost everyone’s productivity, bringing a more prosperous future for the world.
How close are we to realizing this dream?
More companies are creating tools that align with Bill Gates’s AI vision. For example, Google is launching several artificial intelligence projects that will enable everyone to make AI assistants. Also, existing services like its search engine and YouTube are incorporating AI features. That means everyone’s using AI already!
How should we prepare for these changes?
Start adapting to the AI revolution by trying the most popular programs like ChatGPT. That will let you understand their capabilities and see how they fit into your daily routine. Moreover, you should learn the latest developments so that you can maximize the benefits. Fortunately, Inquirer Tech is a great resource for tech newbies and savvies!