Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has published a nearly 6,000-word essay expressing deep concern about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its implications for the future of humanity. The man who for years was one of the technology's most ardent supporters now appears to have radically changed his stance — and he's not hiding it.
Titled “The turbulent AI era is here. The choices we make now are critical,” Gates’s essay is a harsh wake-up call. He warns that the world is not ready for the changes brought about by Artificial Intelligence , and categorically emphasizes: “we are not prepared for this.” This stance is a clear revision of the optimistic tone he had adopted in his corresponding essay in 2023, when he presented AI as one of the greatest opportunities in the history of humanity.
It is worth noting that Gates does not deny the potential of Artificial Intelligence. He insists that it is not too late “to ensure that the good outweighs the bad.” However, the essay leaves a heavy feeling: one of the most influential technologists of the 20th and 21st centuries sees before him a world in danger of losing control of one of the most powerful technologies it has ever created.
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Artificial Intelligence: The biggest change in history?
Bill Gates predicts that Artificial Intelligence will “either be the greatest equalizer ever invented, or the worst source of injustice.” The transition to the new era of AI, he says, will be one of the most tumultuous periods in human history. Many underestimate the scale of the impact because they make misleading comparisons with earlier technological revolutions — like the industrial revolution or the rise of the internet.
According to Gates, this time things are different. The speed at which AI is evolving leaves no time for adaptation. The performance problems found in AI systems today are being “fast-fixed,” meaning that limitations that some consider permanent are disappearing at a rate we’ve never seen before. He says he supports any credible plan to slow the global development of AI — a position that would have been unthinkable to the Microsoft co-founder a few years ago .
The question Gates poses is not whether AI will change the world — he takes that for granted. The question is whether societies, governments, and institutions can move fast enough to manage this change in a way that benefits the many, not the few.
Artificial Intelligence and employment: Tax on robots and "Human Reserved" positions
One of the essay’s most specific and bold points concerns the job market. Bill Gates warns that “many jobs will disappear forever.” He’s not talking about temporary upheaval or a transition to new jobs — he’s talking about permanent, structural unemployment on a scale we’ve never faced.
To address this challenge, Gates proposes two specific measures. First, taxing AI tokens and robotsto discourage companies from replacing human workers with automated systems. Second, establishing a system he calls “Human Reserved” — reserving specific jobs exclusively for humans, regardless of whether an AI system could perform them more effectively.
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This proposal is radical for a tech mogul like Gates. It essentially acknowledges that the market alone cannot handle the impact of AI on jobs — government intervention is needed. He calls on political leaders to act before unemployment soars and public trust in institutions collapses.
In the European context, this proposal is already finding some traction. The European Union has already adopted the AI Act, the world's first comprehensive regulation on Artificial Intelligence , while discussions on taxing automation are underway in several member states. However, implementation remains far from what Gates considers sufficient.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Governance: The Need for an International Organization
Beyond the job market, Bill Gates raises another crucial issue: the complete lack of adequate international institutions to manage Artificial Intelligence. Existing organizations — from the UN to the OECD — are not designed to deal with a technology that simultaneously affects taxation, labor, health, national security, and education.
Gates argues that countries will need dedicated bodies — both national and international — that can set priorities across government agencies and ensure that all risks are taken into account. The idea is not new — similar proposals have been made by researchers and think tanks — but the fact that it comes from one of the world’s most influential technologists gives it special weight.
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The essay, despite its lack of original solutions, has already sparked heated debate in tech and policy circles. Gates’ shift — from optimistic advocate to worried alarmist — mirrors a broader trend seen in other tech pioneers, such as Geoffrey Hinton (“the godfather of AI”), who resigned from Google to speak out about the risks.
In short, Bill Gates ’ message is clear: AI is not just another technological revolution. It is something qualitatively different, requiring qualitatively different responses — at the level of policy, governance, and social organization. And time for those responses is running out fast. According to The Verge, the essay marks one of the most dramatic public shifts in thinking by a major tech figure.
