As we approach the festive cheer of Christmas and the New Year, Bill Gates looks back on 2023. It was a landmark year for him, both personally, as he became a grandfather, and professionally, marking his first use of artificial intelligence for work beyond mere entertainment with friends. Gates is convinced that AI's continued development will significantly shape our future in 2024.
This past year has given us a tangible understanding of artificial intelligence's capabilities, illustrating how AI can function autonomously and where it best serves as a supportive tool to human operators.
This year gave us a glimpse of how AI will shape the future,Bill Gates stated.
Particularly, the potential applications of AI in education and healthcare have become much clearer. Gates remains optimistic about AI's ability to diminish global inequality and injustice, countering the prevalent fears about its adverse societal impacts.
“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 said.
Bill Gates points out several domains where artificial intelligence is poised to bring about significant changes in the near future.
Combating Antibiotic Resistance. Misuse of antibacterial substances can lead to pathogens developing resistance to these drugs, a problem particularly pressing in Africa. In Ghana, experts are developing an AI tool to aid healthcare professionals in creating treatment plans that do not contribute to antibiotic resistance.
Personalized Tutors: The ability to tailor AI to each learner's needs is already feasible. In Nairobi, Kenya, an AI tutor is being created to teach young Kenyan children Swahili, incorporating the local cultural context.
Pregnancy Pathologies: The global statistics are stark: every two minutes, a woman dies in childbirth. Gates notes that ultrasound studies using AI could significantly improve these troubling statistics. In India, a comprehensive language model is in the works, which will provide recommendations adapted to the medical worker's skill level, varying for a novice nurse and an experienced midwife.
HIV Risk Assessment: South African researchers are developing an AI chatbot to provide marginalized and vulnerable population groups with a confidential consultation platform, free from the fear of social judgment.
Access to Medical Information: When providing urgent care, doctors must consider a patient's medical history. Developers in Pakistan are creating an AI-based mobile app that will facilitate doctors' access to patients' medical histories and aid in completing medical records.
Bill Gates anticipates that in high-income countries, such as the USA, AI will see mass implementation in about one-and-a-half to two years. The African continent is expected to reach this level of AI technology utilization in approximately three years.
There’s no question these are challenging times, but I remain optimistic about the future. The speed of innovation has never been faster,Gates summarizes.
