Bill Gates Warns AI Progress 'Surprises' Even Him—Unclear When It Will Replace Human Work

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates warned that artificial intelligence is advancing at a pace that “surprises” even him, creating uncertainty about when AI might replace human workers across industries.

What Happened: “It’s improving at a rate that surprises me,” Gates said. The tech pioneer highlighted AI’s growing research capabilities, noting he regularly tests complex questions on AI systems that deliver comprehensive summaries.

Gates emphasized the unpredictable nature of AI’s trajectory. “AI today can replace human work, the most complex coding tasks, it’s not able to do yet. And people in the field disagree: is that within the next year or two, or is it more like ten years away?”

See Also: Marc Benioff Says AI Now Handles Up To 50% Of Work At Salesforce — Could An AI Agent Eventually Take Over His Job?

The technology has rapidly evolved from basic email composition to generating functional code. Gates noted AI already handles administrative roles like telesales but struggles with more complex tasks, though that gap is narrowing quickly.

Why It Matters: Other tech industry leaders have also shared their views on the subject earlier. Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang takes a more direct stance, warning that workers who don’t embrace AI risk obsolescence. However, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella thinks AI will redefine cognitive labor, but it won’t do so by making human workers irrelevant. 

Goldman Sachs estimates AI could impact 300 million full-time jobs globally, but industry analysis suggests mass redefinition rather than replacement.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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