Microsoft co-founder predicts “free intelligence” will dominate medical and educational professions within a decade

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

Billionaire technologist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates declared this week that artificial intelligence will soon render most human labor obsolete—including doctors, teachers, and other trained professionals—as the rapid pace of AI development continues to accelerate.

In a recent interview on NBC’s The Tonight Show, Gates said that within ten years, advancements in AI will allow high-quality medical advice and academic tutoring to be delivered freely and without human intervention. “We’re entering a new era of free intelligence,” Gates said, suggesting that powerful AI tools will soon replace the need for professional expertise in many fields.

Gates reaffirmed his position during a discussion with Harvard University professor Arthur Brooks, emphasizing that AI technologies will soon touch “almost every aspect of our lives.” He said the pace of development is now “without upper bound,” describing AI’s rise as inevitable and transformative.

While Gates acknowledged that certain creative jobs in the entertainment industry may remain beyond AI’s reach, he asserted that fields such as medicine, transportation, manufacturing, agriculture, and teaching will eventually become “basically solved problems” through artificial intelligence. “We won’t need as many humans doing these jobs,” he said.

In contrast to more optimistic projections, Gates’ comments suggest a future where many traditional forms of employment are displaced altogether. He encouraged younger generations to embrace this technological shift, advising that if he were to start over in business today, he would launch an “AI-centric” startup to take advantage of the flood of investment capital flowing into the sector.

Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman echoed similar sentiments, recently stating that AI will fundamentally reshape labor markets and permanently alter how industries function. While some analysts maintain that AI will create new job opportunities and enhance worker productivity, others argue that mass displacement and economic upheaval are more likely outcomes.

Gates, who has long positioned himself at the forefront of major global technology trends, made clear that the advent of widespread, high-performing artificial intelligence is not a matter of if—but when.

To read more, visit NBC Bay Area.