Bill Gates spills the beans on his favorite AI trick

"I'm often writing things, and [ChatGPT] is a huge help in that process. I'd say the feature I use the most is the meeting summary, which is integrated into [Microsoft] Teams, which I use a lot," Gates said in an exclusive interview with The Verge last week.

He added, "The ability to interact and not just get the summary, but ask questions about the meeting, is pretty fantastic."

The Microsoft co-founder expressed strong optimism about AI's future. During the interview, Gates, 68, shared his enthusiasm for AI’s potential, particularly in improving productivity in sectors like health and education. While acknowledging concerns about AI’s misuse, he believes the focus should be on harnessing its positive impact.

When discussing misinformation, Gates downplayed AI’s role in worsening the issue, suggesting instead that AI could help combat misinformation effectively. He also emphasized the importance of balancing free speech with the challenge of misinformation, a task he believes the younger generation will need to address.

Overall, Gates remains confident that, when properly guided, AI can be a powerful tool for solving global challenges.

On the What Now podcast with Trevor Noah in November last year, Gates discussed how, despite rapid technological advancements, AI won't replace humans but will fundamentally change how we work. He responded to concerns about AI taking over jobs by explaining that with a gradual transition and appropriate government support, society could move towards reduced manual labor.

"If you eventually get to a society where you only have to work three days a week, that’s probably okay," Gates said.

However, in an earlier interview with Business Insider this year, Gates also pointed out AI's limitations. He emphasized the importance of data quality in AI development, stating that "Good AI" requires "data that embodies expertise."

This suggests that while AI excels at tasks involving clear-cut datasets, it struggles with subjective or qualitative aspects, such as human happiness or relationships. "If it's a problem that humans are not good at dealing with, then present techniques don't create some novel approach," he explained.

Gates also acknowledged AI’s potential in mental health support but stressed the need for careful implementation. "I actually think in mental counseling AIs will play a role, but boy, we're going to have to be very careful about that," Gates said. "That's going to require a lot of work that has not been done yet."