Bill Gates has made an unsettling premonition about the future of AI – and his words don't hold much joy for most working in the creative sector. Gates hypothesised that in the future all but three job roles could be replaced by machines – and only one of those could be considered creative, coding (spoiler: this is at odds with our view on the future of AI in graphic design).
Although a utopian future would have AI taking over the boring, mundane tasks leaving humans free to pursue creativity, speaking across two different interviews Gates shares that he thinks AI has the ability to do "most things" and only coders, biologists and energy experts will remain safe from AI for now. All of these jobs need a human hand to control and advance the AI, he says (though tell that to the proponents of vibe coding).
However, Gates also asserted that it would be up to humans to decide whether or not to exercise the power of AI across all the areas it is capable of taking over – leaving a glimmer of hope for the idea that humans may one day be free from the mundanity of tasks that can be automated but still find purpose (and work) in creativity.
“There will be some things we reserve for ourselves. But in terms of making things and moving things and growing food, over time those will be basically solved problems," he says.
In fact, he also says in another interview that he thinks humans could work "two or three days a week", which would leave time for non-work pursuits. Whether or not that would come with the same wage and living standards is, of course, yet to be seen.
Link:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/careers/bill-gates-says-only-3-jobs-will...
4 people like this
Interesting that he's named two of the jobs he's dipped his hands in Mark Deuce. The problem with "leaving a glimmer of hope for the idea that humans may one day be free from the mundanity of tasks" is that in those "mundane" tasks is the possibility of human interaction that is more valuable than the job itself. Yes, there are jobs I wouldn't want to do but in the meantime, we should esteem the value in human interaction in those jobs. When I'm in a restaurant, I love chatting with the server who tells me about his/her goals and dreams.
2 people like this
I totallly agree with you Leonardo Ramirez and for me, Ai will always be a tool to help me improve, but not to take over and do everything. Then you are a slave to that system. Hey, that would make a great movie! Have a great weekend!
3 people like this
Mark Deuce You too my friend.
3 people like this
if AI is being developed to put people out of work, shouldn't it's development and application in society be reassessed? It's far more productive to develop systems that provide income for people and create jobs and livelihoods for society, instead of approaching business with a Gordon Gekko mindset - you know, like selling everything off including it's 'human resources' for the sake of profit.
4 people like this
Leonardo Ramirez Does that mean Gates considers screenwriting as one of those mundane tasks? Haha!
This may be the true state of where studio films are headed, but I think it gives the indie filmmakers the greater resolve to keep production as human as possible.
4 people like this
Mark Deuce “Whether or not that would come with the same wage and living standards is, of course, yet to be seen.” Exactly, this kind of utopian BS is really annoying!
4 people like this
I think he considers anything he's not doing as mundane Geoff Hall.
3 people like this
Leonardo Ramirez haha! Pretentious oligarch to the fore, then!
5 people like this
TL;DR
I’m worried about what these advancements mean for the creative class.
The Longer Version:
I’m mixed on my feelings about AI. On one hand, I’ve been very vocal on here about using it as a co-creator (for research, answering questions, brainstorming, etc.). BUT…I’m also automatically part of the class-action suit against Meta b/c they used my work to train their machines without my permission, and I’m not really cool with that, either.
I teach my composition students to use it to help them with their essay topics (otherwise, I get the essay equivalents of “How I Spent My Summer Vacation”), but I’m also currently researching/writing an article on how these systems are going to homogenize our “creative output.”
But last night I was on X, and I saw a post from a guy who took the trailer from Lord of The Rings, broke it down (shot by shot), and used AI to transform it into the style of “Studio Ghibli.” This apparently took several hours, but the end result was Incredible. So incredible, if I were part of Studio Ghibli, I would have asked him to remove it immediately. In a few hours, one guy had managed to capture decades of blood/sweat/tears and create something that was 100% passable as that studio’s very unique, very original work.
(This, compared to the AI-generated LOTR trailer I saw a couple of years ago, that was so janky it was laughable. No worries on that front.)
I’m worried now, and I don’t have a solution, but I do like discussing/debating as this new frontier unfolds. I feel like Money will win the day (as it usually does), and those of us who have the real desire to create something new ex nihilo will be the minority, and we will be fighting an uphill battle in an over-crowded world filled with the most banal “creative” works you can imagine, with “authors” who are not real writers and “filmmakers,” “photographers,” and “designers” whose sole achievement is crafting a good prompt and letting a machine do the hard (but fundamentally most rewarding part of the) work.
Happy Friday, y’all. ;)
3 people like this
Geoff Hall haha..oh boy.
4 people like this
Happy Friday Erin Leigh! I haven't seen that trailer. Will have to search for it. But yes, I agree. I would have asked him to take it down.
3 people like this
Sadly big business don´t see it that way Topher Neville
3 people like this
I totally agree Geoff Hall nevertheless, it is coming at us in breakneck speed.
3 people like this
I hear ya Erin Leigh but we need to stay out in front of this Ai Revolution so that we do not get left behind, and like that studio your said, I saw that amazing video too, can stay relevant as things progress. This is just like the Cassette tape and VCR Tape went to DVD and Cd´s! But mush bigger for sure. Cheers!
3 people like this
Mark Deuce maybe, but I do think there will be a backlash because of security concerns. Check out this article on Agentic AI.
https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/02/new-ai-agents-could-hold-...
3 people like this
Mark Deuce “Then you are a slave to that system.” That would be The Matrix!
1 person likes this
I will check it out Geoff Hall and that is where this is all going for sure, the Matrix, Terminator, etc. have a great weekend!
4 people like this
It is scary and disheartenig to think that writers will no longer be safe putting their original work out there when some studio can 'launder' it through AI and claim it as their own story.
2 people like this
Mark Deuce well, DVDs and CDs I suppose didn’t have any intelligence, whereas AI at least has an artificial intelligence. Sadly, we tend to focus on the intelligence quotient and not the artificial side of things.
2 people like this
Well, well, well! Ain't this an important development!
1 person likes this
That is why we have to make our own films and with Ai as a tool many are creating their films and ideas right now Lori Jones putting them up on Youtube, Rumble, Bitchute, FilmHub, Vimeo, and others.
1 person likes this
That is a great point Geoff Hall and no matter what, it is here to stay, it will and is replacing jobs as we speak. Will it replace us as Writers is the big question.
2 people like this
It sure is Eon C. Rambally and what are your thoughts?
5 people like this
Mark Deuce will it replace our jobs as writers. I think this may split between studio and independent productions. Studios are all about profit margins and reducing costs through technology. Indies have a different remit as far as human stories go. It will not be a line, clearly drawn of course, but at this stage, these are my thoughts.
1 person likes this
I totally agree Geoff Hall that Indies will keep the human element in film, but the big box Studios will not as you said.
2 people like this
Mark Deuce I like the question "What do I think"! From a business perspective it makes rendering my services more competitive. On the other hand, it makes hiring talent more budget friendly. Human interactions and public relations are still amongst key factors. However, it also makes for an excellent cost effective hobby, where high quality productions can be done, “with message”, thereby another angle to the public relations subject. Otherwise I’m still thinking!
2 people like this
Great comment Eon C. Rambally with Ai used as a tool and not a crutch along with working with a team, you can make almost anything these days. Have a wonderful Week!
2 people like this
Outside of the tech world, does Bill Gates have a good track record for predicting the future?
I really think he creates it himself Eric Christopherson The Good, The bad, and the Very UGLY!
Eric Christopherson erm…no?