In a discussion about the potential impact of AI on the labour market, Gates warned that technological progress could eventually reach a point where simply retraining workers for new jobs may no longer be enough, as AI becomes capable of performing an increasingly wide range of tasks.
He therefore proposed an idea he calls “Human Reserved,” under which societies could decide that certain jobs or responsibilities should remain in human hands, even when AI systems or robots are technically capable of doing the same work.
Gates gave examples such as childcare and serving as a member of a jury, arguing that there are responsibilities in society that should continue to involve human judgment and participation.
When it comes to professions such as education and healthcare, Gates does not support banning AI. Instead, he believes people should continue performing these roles while using AI as a tool to improve their work and increase efficiency.
He also suggested that some workers could be temporarily protected from being replaced by artificial intelligence as societies adjust to the rapid technological changes.
Gates further proposed exploring ways to tax AI and robots, arguing that companies should not receive unlimited financial incentives to replace human employees with machines.
According to Gates, as much as 40% of jobs could initially be reserved for humans under such an approach. However, he believes AI will still have a major and unavoidable impact on the global labour market.
The proposal adds to the growing debate over how governments, businesses and societies can benefit from artificial intelligence while protecting workers and ensuring that technological progress does not leave large sections of the population without economic opportunities.
