Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates claims that the development of artificial intelligence (AI) is the most important technological advance in decades.
AI Development: A Major Technological Leap
In a blog post, he equated AI's significance to that of the microprocessor, the personal computer, the Internet, and the mobile phone. Gates believes that AI will revolutionize the way people work, learn, travel, access health care, and communicate with one another.
ChatGPT: A Prominent AI Chatbot
Gates specifically mentioned ChatGPT, an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, which has been programmed to answer questions online using natural, human-like language. The team behind ChatGPT received a multibillion-dollar investment from Microsoft in January 2023. However, it's not the only AI-powered chatbot available; Google recently introduced its rival, Bard.
Analysis by Zoe Kleinman, BBC Technology Editor
Kleinman, who was among the first to access Bard, shares her experience with the chatbot. It provided a philosophical answer to the meaning of life and a competent summary of Russia-China relations. Bard even suggested a running order for a news show and composed a decent poem about trees and blossom. Kleinman intends to test its limits further.
The OpenAI Connection
Gates revealed that he had been meeting with OpenAI, the team behind ChatGPT, since 2016. In 2022, he challenged them to train an AI that could pass an Advanced Placement (AP) Biology exam without being specifically trained for Biology questions. A few months later, the AI scored nearly perfect on the exam. Gates was also impressed by the AI's thoughtful response to a father with a sick child, which he described as the most important advance in technology since the graphical user interface (GUI).
The Future of AI
Gates, who co-chairs the charitable Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, called on governments to collaborate with the industry to limit the risks of AI while harnessing its potential to save lives. He sees AI-driven improvements as crucial for poor countries, where most under-5 deaths occur. AI can help health workers in these countries be more productive by automating repetitive tasks such as insurance claims, paperwork, and note-taking.
Conclusion
However, Gates called for a targeted approach to AI technology, as market forces alone won't produce AI products and services that benefit the poorest. With reliable funding and the right policies, governments and philanthropy can ensure AI is used to reduce inequity. Gates emphasized the need to focus the world's best AIs on solving its biggest problems.
Source: BBC
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