Gates warns society faces an AI-pocalypse unless we get more socialist

Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder and philanthropist, is warning that the potential for AI to cause societal upheaval is being underestimated. In a missive on his personal website, Gates says the AI era is likely to be one of the most turbulent times in human history, and the way it plays out will determine whether the world becomes a more equitable place or if the divide between rich and poor becomes greater than ever.

Gates believes that AI will replace human cognition in many roles, leading to a small group of winners - those who invest in and control AI - while everyone else becomes a loser. He warns that AI will hit diverse industries such as law, customer service, medicine, software, and manufacturing rapidly over a decade or less. This rapid transition could affect blue-collar jobs, as AI-powered robots advance faster than people realize, with some progress happening in China.

Gates identifies three main risks from AI adoption: the disappearance of many work roles, the potential for AI to be used for harm, and the negative impact on children's mental development and human relationships. To avoid this apocalyptic vision, Gates suggests that society needs both a domestic and international framework. This would involve government bodies setting priorities across agencies to account for all risks, as well as an international body to address cross-border risks, which Gates suggests is unlikely under the current US administration.

Gates also believes that some jobs, such as social care, should remain human, and proposes rebalancing the tax system to fund retraining and a stronger safety net for those displaced by AI. He urges world leaders to act now to prevent rising unemployment, hurting communities, and eroding public trust.