Bill Gates has urgently called on the world to address the risks associated with artificial intelligence. “AI will either become the greatest equalizer ever invented or the source of the worst injustice,” Microsoft’s billionaire co-founder said in a 6,000-word memo released Wednesday.
He shared some thoughts on how to deal with the worst-case scenario, and I think he has a point.
My father had dementia. Near the end, he literally forgot how to swallow. My mother lost the use of the right side of her body due to a stroke and became bedridden. By hiring a 24-hour caregiver, my sister and I were able to stay at home until they passed away.
Can AI help take care of them? I think so. My mother may have enjoyed “talking” with the AI friend app. AI-powered remote monitoring could streamline medical care. But no amount of advanced AI systems could replace the amazing people who cared for my parents.
Bill Gates agrees. His father received 24/7 care until his death from Alzheimer’s disease in 2020, he wrote in an essay posted on his personal website. “There was something priceless and human about the care they gave my father,” he wrote. “No robot could do that, and it shouldn’t have done that.”
That is why Gates considers nursing care to be “reserved for humans,” like other jobs that should only be performed by humans. He is proposing a “token tax” that would make it more expensive for companies to replace workers with AI tools and agents and provide funds to support people who have actually lost their jobs.
Who decides which jobs are “for humans only”? It’s a good question, but Gates admits he can’t fully answer it. There are also economic implications. Sure, robots may be able to build houses, but what about skilled carpenters? AI can improve the efficiency of teaching and providing information, but can it replace caring, motivating, and empathetic teachers?
According to Gates, technological capabilities should not automatically determine what a society automates. Simply put, just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
Here are three other takeaways from Gates’ essay about what happens next and what we should do about it.
Chaos will occur at an unprecedented rate. Let’s bring a computer. “A computer in every home” fundamentally changed our professional and personal lives, but that change happened over several decades. Software had to be developed. Costs needed to come down. It took time for people and organizations to learn how to use new tools effectively. Because AI can spread through devices and systems already in use, Gates expects disruption to occur much faster than previous transitions, eliminating many entry- and mid-level jobs before adapting to the new reality. The question is not whether AI is “good” or “bad.” The question is: who benefits and who suffers? Gates is optimistic about the potential impact of AI on healthcare, education, agriculture, scientific research, government services, small businesses, and more. His concern is that people and countries that already have money and power will benefit, while vulnerable communities and displaced people will bear the costs. Gates said that answering difficult questions about how to protect ourselves from harm and prevent fraud “should be the world’s top priority.” Because “if the world takes the right steps, AI will become a force for good and help everyone live a better life.”Governments need to intervene now, not wait for markets to figure it out. Gates outlines three important steps. Create new national and international institutions to manage the transition to AI. Establish the aforementioned “human-reserved” positions so that machines don’t replace people just because they can. And change the tax system so that companies do not receive economic rewards when they replace employees with AI or robots.
Overall, Gates sees a “high probability” that the shift in AI technology will ultimately have negative consequences. If your job is in sales, customer support, software engineering, or any other field where some or most of your day-to-day tasks could be replaced by AI, you’ll probably agree, especially if AI has developed to the point where it can produce error-free work. Gates predicts that fields such as medicine, law, middle management, and even manufacturing will face major disruption within the next decade.
I worry about my grandchildren as robots increasingly take on entry-level functions. Climbing a ladder is difficult if there is no bottom rung to climb onto.
That’s why “this unprecedented technology requires an unprecedented global response,” Gates wrote, saying he wants to develop national and international frameworks to address AI.
The challenge is “tremendous,” Gates wrote, and solutions should be developed through a public democratic process that includes elected officials, policy makers, educators, health care workers, local officials, and community leaders.
Like most things, it’s easier said than done.
Jeff Hayden is a leadership expert, speaker, and author of the best-selling book, The Myth of Motivation: How Achievers Really Set Up to Win.
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