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Topics: Bill Gates, Education, Jobs, Technology, Artificial Intelligence
Rebekah Jordan
Topics: Bill Gates, Education, Jobs, Technology, Artificial Intelligence
AI is seeping more and more into our professional lives every day, and with it, people are increasingly worried about which jobs might be on the chopping block next.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates previously weighed in on what kind of jobs could be at risk of becoming more automated. At the same time, the tech billionaire shared his thoughts on the positions that are currently too complex for AI to fully take over, including those who work in the coding and biology sectors.
Now, Gates has revealed that the long-standing shortage of doctors and teachers might soon be over as AI would come in to support. The philanthropist has focused on public health for years and noted that countries like India and across Africa are still struggling to hire and maintain enough medical professionals.
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The US healthcare system faces a similar issue. According to a report from the Association of American Medical Colleges last year, the US could face a physician shortage of up to 86,000 specialists and primary care doctors by 2036.
Integrating AI into this sector would help ease pressure in the industry, with healthcare-focused AI start-ups already raising billions from pitching this promise. Healthcare start-ups such as Suki, Zephyr AI, and Tennr are offering to automate tasks like billing and note-taking, as well as improve diagnosis accuracy and identify patients for emerging treatments. Additionally, a report by McKinsey suggests that generative AI could boost productivity in healthcare and pharma by up to $370 billion.
Similarly, education could benefit from AI implementation.
US federal data released in 2023 found that 86% of K-12 public schools reported difficulties hiring teachers for the 2023-to-2024 school year. And 45% of public schools said they were understaffed.
Meanwhile, over in the UK, a London high school has already started using AI tools in the classroom. At David Game College, students are using ChatGPT to help them study core subjects like English, maths, biology and computer science and prepare for upcoming exams.
While some teachers are concerned about students misusing AI to cheat, educators told Business Insider that they were optimistic about AI's potential to save time and support learning.
Gates also added that the public shouldn't fear about a future alongside AI as it would lead to less work and more personal time. "You can retire early, you can work shorter workweeks," he said. "It's going to require almost a philosophical rethink about, 'OK, how should time be spent?'"