With costs of living up around the world, economists relentlessly sounding the beat of a looming global recession, and the first war on European soil in decades nearing its one-year mark, 2023 might sound like one of the absolute worst times to be alive. For what it’s worth, Bill Gates wholeheartedly disagrees with that statement.
“In terms of the best time to live, though, the current time is dramatically by far the best time to be alive,” the philanthropist and Microsoft cofounder said Wednesday, answering a question on his favorite historical period during his 11th annual “Ask Me Anything” session on Reddit. Gates said he found any periods of scientific innovation “fascinating,” and based on the rest of the session, where he fielded questions from fans and followers for over an hour on everything from artificial intelligence to the ethics of being a billionaire, he expects the coming years to be rife with breakthroughs.
Gates touched on what he thinks the next major scientific advances will be: He is largely unenthusiastic about the prospects of Web3 or the metaverse—both of which were big focuses for corporate and tech giants last year. But he is all-in on the rapidly improving scope of artificial intelligence and its myriad applications, including the A.I.-powered ChatGPT chatbot launched by OpenAI in November.
If right now is the best time to be alive, it is probably because of the fast pace of scientific innovation, according to Gates. He added that company founders like himself still have a role to play, although he admitted the ultrarich could stand to be kept in check with higher taxes. He also advised other billionaires to follow his lead and give away all their wealth within their lifetimes.
“In terms of the very rich, I think they should pay a lot more in taxes and they should give away their wealth over time. It has been very fulfilling for me and is my full time job,” he wrote, answering a question on what billionaires should do with their wealth.
‘A glimpse of what is to come’
Gates noted the monumental threats humanity is facing, including climate change and global access to health care—intercut with more lighthearted comments on what he is reading and his favorite TV shows, movies, and comedy shows of 2022.
But when it came to mankind’s more existential challenges, Gates struck an optimistic tone by highlighting scientific breakthroughs; the work of his research companies; and his charitable foundation, to which he donated $20 billion of his personal fortune last year.
Gates discussed progress being made at his nuclear reactor engineering company, TerraPower, which is working on a new generation of reactors that can generate electricity with no carbon emissions and much higher efficiency than current models. While Gates noted the Ukraine war has caused supply-chain delays for reactor fuel, he said the project is set to make a “huge contribution to climate challenges since it will be low-cost and supersafe.”
Aside from technological innovations, Gates maintained that individuals could have an important say in mitigating climate change through their own choices, including choosing electric vehicles, purchasing carbon offsets when they travel, and voting in politicians with climate change on their agendas. “We need support on climate from both parties in the U.S. and in all countries. Staying hopeful is a good thing!” he wrote.
But the most significant technological breakthrough in the pipeline, according to Gates, is the advent of artificial intelligence with real-world applications. Gates said making progress in health and climate tech and helping shape A.I. advances were respectively the third and fourth things he was most excited about in the year ahead, behind becoming a grandfather and being a good friend and father.
“A.I. is the big one,” he wrote in response to a question on what he sees as the most world-changing tech shifts coming online. “I don’t think Web3 was that big or that metaverse stuff alone was revolutionary, but A.I. is quite revolutionary.”
Gates was particularly impressed with ChatGPT, a breakthrough Fortune CEO Alan Murray last month called the “most important news event of 2022.”
“It gives a glimpse of what is to come,” Gates said about OpenAI’s creation. “I am impressed with this whole approach and the rate of innovation.”
