Bill Gates Urges Workers to Master AI as Automation Threatens Routine Jobs

Bill Gates said the rapid rollout of artificial-intelligence systems is likely to automate routine white-collar work faster than labour markets can adapt, putting roles such as telesales and customer-support at particular risk because the software is already becoming cheaper and more accurate than human staff. Speaking in a televised interview aired on 29 July, the Microsoft co-founder compared the latest generative-AI services to personal tutors that can perform deep research at a fraction of the cost of experts. He added that, while the technology still supplements humans on complex tasks such as drug discovery or advanced coding, its accelerating improvement continues to surprise him. Gates cited outside analyses suggesting that as much as half of entry-level white-collar jobs could vanish by 2030 and warned that policy makers must address the speed of the shift. Even so, he called the overall impact of AI positive if societies use the productivity gains to shorten hours, shrink class sizes and broaden access to knowledge across low-income nations. His advice to students and early-career workers remains unchanged: stay curious, read widely and learn to deploy the newest AI tools, because familiarity with the technology will be increasingly essential in a rapidly changing job market.