Bill Gates expressed deep concern about the impact of Artificial Intelligence, describing the technological transition as "one of the most turbulent periods in human history". The entrepreneur, known for his usual optimism, warns that "right now, we are not adequately preparing" for this change.
Gates' main warning is that the most vulnerable will be the most affected. Young people will face a job market with fewer entry-level positions, while workers such as accountants or professionals earning 20 dollars per hour will be replaced by cheaper robots. Gates emphasizes that "people who need time the most are the ones who have it the least".
The solution proposed by Gates is controversial: taxing robots and AI tokens. According to him, "the tax system incentivizes the replacement of people by machines", which is why he believes that "the geopolitical and economic incentives are very strong to move forward at full speed". Gates believes this technology "will be the greatest equalizer ever invented or the worst source of injustice".
The article, written by António da Cunha Duarte Justo, also notes that Gates was fascinated by Pope Leo XIV's encyclical on AI and characterizes this period as an "axial age", a concept developed by philosopher Karl Jaspers in 1949 to describe moments of great cultural and spiritual transformation in human history.
