Gates Foundation Puts $1 Billion Into AI for Everyone

The Gates Foundation says it will spend $1 billion over the next two years to make AI helpful for poor people, not just the rich. Foundation chair Bill Gates said AI could either be a great equalizer or a big source of unfairness, and the world needs global rules to make sure everyone benefits.

Gates praised China's large AI models, saying top US and Chinese models could be twice as powerful in six months. He noted that both countries have at least four top labs, with little gap between the best and the rest. He suggested leading countries give 5% of their data center power as digital aid to poor nations for health, farming and education.

Gates also addressed AI's energy use, admitting US data centers running on natural gas add carbon emissions, which he called very regrettable. But he believes AI will be good for the climate in the long run. He highlighted that China's solar power capacity has passed coal for the first time, calling it a great milestone.