Bill Gates’ predictions for 2024: AI, energy, future pandemics...
Here’s what the Microsoft co-founder had to say about the year ahead.
Are the robots taking over in 2024?
Perhaps the admission that “2023 marked the first time I used artificial intelligence for work and other serious reasons”, from Gates was the most striking sentence in his annual open letter in which he typically casts his predictions on the year ahead. It was “not just to mess around and create parody song lyrics”.
For Gates, it is “clearer than ever” on how AI can - and will - help in education and mental health, but he admits that when put to use in the wrong way, the possibility of “awful inequities” does exist. “I’ve always been a firm believer in the power of innovation to offer every child an equal chance to survive and thrive. AI is no exception”, he writes.
As for his summary of 2023, Gates mentions the atrocities in Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Sudan and Ethiopia, saying that “millions continue to experience unbearable grief as a result of Russia’s war on Ukraine and in the aftermath of the war in Ethiopia. My heart is broken for the continued suffering of Israelis and Palestinians, as well as for the people of Sudan.”
He also makes time to mention climate change, noting that he is “optimistic” about the progress, despite being aware of the threat.
What did Bill Gates say about AI in 2024?
Gates puts AI on the list of milestone innovations along with electricity, cars, medicine and planes, saying that “the most successful economies are driven by innovative industries that evolve to meet the needs of a changing world”. According to Gates, AI will “accelerate the rate of new discoveries at a pace we’ve never seen before” and aid in cutting down the number of childhood deaths due to AI-aided advances in vaccines.
“Drug discovery requires combing through massive amounts of data” he writes, “and AI tools can speed up that process... Some companies are already working on cancer drugs developed this way”.
The rapid increase of AI across the world can also aid with education in the poorest countries, says the 68-year-old. With the technology both “tailored to each individual learner”, the gift of education can be spread across the world at an astonishing pace. “One of the things that excites me the most about this type of technology is the possibility of localizing it to every student”, he says, giving the example of “Somanasi, an AI-based tutor that aligns with the curriculum in Kenya”.
The world will see a ‘technology boom’ this next decade
Gates mentions AI being used as a consultant in medical situations, with a South African chatbot that is under development given as the example as “an unbiased and nonjudgmental counselor who can provide around-the-clock advice”. He also mentions ARMMAN, a system that “will one day act as a copilot for health workers treating high-risk pregnancies”.
While Gates says that we may not see these technologies the world over in 2024 or even 2025, he hints that “the work that will be done over the next year is setting the stage for a massive technology boom later this decade”.
Gates on Malnutrition
“I often get asked what I would choose if I could only solve one problem. My answer is always malnutrition.” Gates talks about his foundation’s work on a new supplement that is given to children in breastmilk, saying that the next steps are “broader regulatory approval and scaled-up, high quality, and reliable manufacturing”.
“I’m also excited about the possibility of improving the gut microbiome before an infant is even born”, he said. “New research has found that a baby’s microbiome is connected to their mother’s. Addressing inflammation in the womb can have additional benefits to the woman, the placenta, and the developing fetus”.
Bill Gates’ climate change prediction 2024
Gates labelled his experience at the COP28 conference in Dubai both “productive” and “awe-inspiring”, saying that “the overall intensity of the climate discussion has gone up over the years”. He called “poor farmers who live near the equator” the most affected as they have “done nothing to cause this problem, yet it literally threatens their lives”.
“Agriculture and manufacturing” were the main topics he was keen to point out, as well as alternative methods of energy production. However, Gates did admit that while “wind and solar remain a key part of that future”, world leaders understand that “you need to supplement them with something more reliable when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing”.
It’s here where he mentions the word “nuclear”, saying that over the years “I would often have to explain why nuclear isn’t the boogeyman many people assumed it was”. Gates provides his pro-points for going nuclear, saying that it “is the only carbon-free energy source that can reliably deliver power day and night, through every season, almost anywhere on earth”.
After explaining the technicalities of nuclear energy and promoting his company, Gates predicts that “we will see lots of new innovations coming into the marketplace”.
“I am feeling optimistic about our progress overall”, he concludes on the climate issue, “but the next five years remain critical.”
What did Bill Gates say about politics in 2024?
“If I could make one wish for all the people headed to the polls next year—no matter where they live—it would be for them to consider electing leaders who understand the importance of investing in human development around the world”, Gates says, before highlighting “when governments choose to engage with and help people outside their borders, the entire world benefits”.
Then comes his only sentence in bold throughout the letter, before signing off: ”I believe the 2024 elections will be a turning point for both health and climate”.