Bill Gates has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) could make inequality worse if technology companies and governments do not make sure its benefits reach underserved communities.
The Gates Foundation has pledged $1 billion over the next two years to support AI projects in healthcare, education, agriculture, and technology for local languages.
Bill Gates shared his concerns about the growing field of AI in the foundation’s annual Goalkeepers report, which tracks progress toward the United Nations’ 2030 development goals.
He has previously said that AI could either help promote equality or become a major source of injustice.
He has also talked about risks like fraud, misinformation, cyberattacks, surveillance, and other harmful uses of AI.
Mark Suzman, CEO of the Gates Foundation, said AI could be a powerful tool during global challenges, but its benefits need to reach more people.
About $100 million of the new funding will go toward datasets and AI systems designed for languages spoken by underserved communities in Africa.
The foundation also plans to work with major technology companies. Google and Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab have already helped strengthen AI frameworks and support underrepresented languages.
OpenAI has pledged $50 million with the foundation to train health workers in Rwanda. Anthropic is working on vaccine development and improving AI data for local crops.
The foundation plans to spend about $400 million on education, including AI tools that help teachers adjust lesson plans to fit students’ needs.
Another $400 million will go to healthcare projects, including tools to help doctors spot overlooked symptoms. About $100 million will support agriculture, such as AI-powered advice on weather, pests, and fertilizer use.
