‘Technology will not replace humans’: Bill Gates believes three-day work week possible

‘Technology will not replace humans!’ said billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates who believes that it could allow a three-day work week. He shared his thoughts while talking to South African comedian and writer Trevor Noah on his podcast ‘What Now’.

The 68-year-old Microsoft co-founder showed optimism that technology would free up labor for more constructive work when Noah asked about the threat of intelligence to jobs.

In the 45-minute-long conversation, Gates talked about technology, work, and the purpose of life. ‘Don’t have to work so hard. Life is not only about doing jobs. If you eventually get a society where you only have to work three days a week or something, that’s probably OK.”

He depicted a world in which labor-intensive human labor is eliminated by machines performing necessary tasks and drew parallels with generational shifts in labor.

The billionaire outlined how a father doing a variety of jobs evolved from a grandfather who thought farming was the only real job. He also said that contrary to popular belief, only 2% of Americans work as farmers today.

According to Gates, technological progress can be beneficial if it happens at a reasonable rate and the government helps people who are adjusting to the changes. He emphasized how crucial it is to support people in learning new skills in order to ensure a smooth transition.

“With the help of software, things become more productive. Eventually, you know, you can have smaller class sizes and better assist the elderly if you free up human labor. You know, if you have the necessary skills, there is still a need for labor to accomplish good things,” he added.

In March this year, Bill Gates expressed his belief that artificial intelligence (AI) can transform education. He compared the development of ChatGPT to his introduction to the graphical user interface in the 1980s, hailing it as a ground-breaking technological demonstration.

He has spent the next ten years considering the possibilities of artificial intelligence. He stated that low-income nations and marginalized communities must have access to these AI-driven tools.