Bill Gates calls for ‘human reserved’ jobs as AI’s biggest challenges stem from use by ‘bad actors’

The co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, called for ‘human reserved’ jobs as artificial intelligence and robotics are going to replace most of the roles that are traditionally performed by humans.

According to Gates, “the two big challenges in the next decade are use of AI by bad actors and disruption to the job market.”

“Both are real risks that we need to do a better job managing. We’ll need to be deliberate about how this technology is developed, governed, and deployed,” Gates said in a long essay he shared on Wednesday. 

To limit the disruption by AI technology and save the large set of the population that will not be able to change their roles and adapt to new technology, Gates suggested that companies and organisations should reserve some job roles only for humans, despite the technology being able to perform them.

“I think about that team when the question of which jobs will disappear and which will remain comes up. I believe that as AI and robots improve, we’ll set aside certain things for only people to do. I’ve started calling this domain Human Reserved, and it’s an example of the kinds of ideas we’ll need to consider,” he said.

“I like the phrase Human Reserved because it makes me think of nature reserves, places where we could put buildings and roads, but we choose not to because the loss would be too great,” Gates explained.

However, he flagged that tech leaders and companies are not preparing for it. “Unfortunately, right now we are not preparing for it. I don’t see evidence that leaders, experts, and communities are confronting the challenges adequately. There is no plan to ease the entry into the AI era,” he said.

As AI is emerging rapidly, Gates said there are some questions the world should think about. For example, how will people use this technology to make the world a fairer place and keep it from widening the divide between rich and poor?

He also called for the protection of the people who are most vulnerable to the harms caused by artificial intelligence, including those who lose their livelihoods and the sense that they are in control of their future.

“In terms of equity, AI will either be the greatest equalizer ever invented, or the worst source of injustice. The challenge is monumental. Even under the best circumstances, the transition to this new AI era will be one of the most turbulent times in human history,” he said.