Tech billionaire Bill Gates says he does not expect his children to run Microsoft, encourages them to forge their own paths

By Phong Ngo April 28, 2025 | 09:24 pm PT

Bill Gates has made it clear he does not expect his children to take over Microsoft, stressing that he wants them to achieve their own success rather than following his footsteps in the tech world.

"You know, it’s not a dynasty. I’m not asking them to run Microsoft," Gates told Raj Shamani on his podcast, "Figuring Out." "I wanna give them a chance to have their own earnings and success, be significant and not overshadowed by the incredible luck and good fortune I had."

Gates explained that those who made fortunes from technology are often "less dynastic" with their wealth.

"You don’t want your kids to ever be confused about your support for them and your love for them," he said. "I do think explaining early on your philosophy that you’re gonna treat them all equally and that you’re gonna give them incredible opportunities, but that the highest calling for these resources is to go back to the neediest through the foundation."

Bill and ex-wife Melinda French Gates with their three children. Photo courtesy of Melinda's Instagram

Bill and Melinda French Gates, who divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage, share three children: Jennifer, 29, Rory, 25, and Phoebe, 22. His eldest daughter, Jennifer, reflected on her privileged upbringing in a 2020 interview with Sidelines magazine.

Rory is currently pursuing a PhD at the Institute of World Politics and working as an analyst for the Afghanistan War Commission, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Meanwhile, Phoebe, graduated early with a degree in human biology last year. On April 24, she and her podcast co-host Sophia Kianni launched Phia, an AI-powered platform that aggregates clothing prices from over 40,000 websites to help users find the best deals, according to Business Insider.

During the interview, Bill also revealed that his children would inherit only a fraction of his fortune.

"In my case, my kids got a great upbringing and education but [will get] less than 1 percent of the total wealth because I decided it wouldn’t be a favor to them," he explained, as reported by Page Six.

As of April 14, Forbes estimated Bill’s net worth at US$107.5 billion. Even 1% of that amount would still exceed US$1 billion for each of his children.