Bill Gates he doesn’t just see AI as a breakthrough, he sees it as a turning point. For doctors, for teachers, for many of the roles once considered safe from automation. In two recent interviews, the Microsoft co-founder envisioned a future where intelligence isn’t rare or elite—it’s abundant, automated, and free.
According to Harvard Magazine, Gates met with Professor Arthur Brooks at Harvard’s Sanders Theater to discuss his memoir “Source Code” last year. But the most headline-worthy moment wasn’t about the past. It was Gates’ stark prediction of what AI will do next.
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In the interview, Gates said that artificial intelligence will alleviate shortages in fields such as medicine and education by taking over tasks traditionally performed by humans.
He described a future where machines handle primary care diagnosis, especially in places without medical professionals. In that context, Gates told Brooks, “the machine will probably be superior to humans — because the breadth of knowledge you need to make some of these decisions really exceeds individual human cognition.”
Gates did not suggest that human professionals would disappear overnight. But he made it clear that when machines can provide diagnoses more accurately, more cheaply and more consistently than humans, they won’t be followers. There will be replacements.
And it’s not just about medicine. Harvard Magazine reports that Gates framed the rise of AI as part of the same arc that transformed bulky corporate computers into personal tools. Only now, the commodity isn’t hardware, it’s intelligence itself.
“What do we do now? [in artificial intelligence] it’s kind of an extension of the digital revolution,” he said, “and all these things are about free intelligence.”
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That phrase—free intelligence—is central to Gates’s view. Once reserved for rare professionals with years of education, high-quality expertise will soon be as accessible as Wi-Fi.
In education, Gates predicted, AI could reshape the classroom by adapting to each student and even learning how to keep them motivated. In healthcare, it will reduce pressure on overworked doctors and bring diagnostic tools to parts of the world that have never had them.
But Gates also issued a warning. More access does not always mean better results.
“[Sometimes when] It empowers people, it’s not always pushed in the right direction,” he said, according to Harvard magazine.
The very systems designed to educate or heal could just as easily spread misinformation or bias—if implemented carelessly. Gates recognized that this is not just a change in technology, but a change in power.
The same caution came up during his appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” last year. Asked about the pace of change, Gates reflected on how computing was once expensive and exclusive — and now intelligence itself is entering the same phase transition.
“The era we’re just entering is that intelligence is rare,” Gates said. “And with AI, in the next decade, that’s going to become free, commonplace … great medical advice, great guidance.”
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When Fallon asked if more people would be needed, Gates didn’t hesitate.
“Not for most things,” he said.
A few roles might survive—he mentioned baseball and talk shows—but the vast majority of tasks people are trained for? Machines will do them better, faster and cheaper.
For investors, that future isn’t just disruptive, it’s investable. As AI reshapes industries like education, healthcare and logistics, some are looking beyond Big Tech to early-stage platforms. Startups focused on diagnostics, learning tools and productivity automation are attracting serious capital. Platforms like Fundrise offer ordinary investors the chance to back emerging AI companies—often for as little as $10.
It’s an exciting future, especially if artificial intelligence can really solve chronic shortages of doctors and educators. But as Gates reminded both Harvard students and the audience of late, access alone will not guarantee progress. What we do with free intelligence still depends on the people who hold the keys.
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This article Bill Gates: AI will likely be ‘superior’ to humans – predicts it could end doctor shortage and we won’t need humans ‘for most things’ originally appeared on Benzinga.com
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