Bill Gates on Acid, AI, and the Future of Microsoft
In a recent interview with Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid podcast, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates discussed his childhood, the early days of Microsoft, and the future of technology.
Gates' upcoming book, "Source Code: My Beginning," chronicles his journey from a wealthy Seattle upbringing to the founding of Microsoft in 1975. He revealed that his friend and co-founder, Paul Allen, introduced him to drugs as a teenager.
"Yes, that is correct," Gates said when asked about Allen giving him acid. "He was responsible for all sorts of things. I mean, my first time I got drunk, the first time I smoked marijuana. He kind of got a kick out of seeing how it might be influenced."
Gates credits his parents, especially his highly organized mother, for much of his success. He also noted that Microsoft has invested heavily in AI and is working closely with OpenAI.
"I'm thrilled Microsoft is making those investments," Gates said. "But there's a great deal of uncertainty there. In the meantime, the AI stuff, that is improving at a very rapid rate."
Gates also discussed his philanthropic work with the Gates Foundation, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. He emphasized the importance of vaccines and the need for continued research and innovation.
"Since the year 2000, we've cut the number of children under five who die every year from over 10 million to under five million," Gates said. "We want to go from five million to 2.5 million."
Gates concluded by urging people to embrace science and support the development of new vaccines. He expressed confidence that vaccines will play a crucial role in tackling future pandemics and improving global health.
To learn more about Bill Gates' insights on technology, business, and philanthropy, listen to the full interview on the Opening Bid podcast.