Bill Gates' latest prediction: In the AI era, humans will only work 2 days a week, and these three professions will become "iron rice bowls".

"Some professions can never be replaced - for example, no one would want to watch machines play baseball."

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Compiled: Heart of the Metaverse

Since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in 2022, the AI industry has been developing at a rapid pace. The Ghibli-style images generated by Chat Studio previously sparked widespread discussion online, and even Hollywood is worried that the creative industry will be disrupted by AI.

Amid this wave of professional anxiety, the billionaire provided reassuring answers during the interview with Jimmy Fallon.

Gates Discusses AI Job Replacement

In the interview, Gates stated: "In the coming years, AI will surely take over most jobs."

But he also emphasized that there is still a shortage of professional talent, and humans still need to rely on experts in various fields, such as "top doctors" or "excellent teachers." However, he also predicted that with the development of AI, high-quality medical consultations and teaching guidance will become easily accessible in ten years.

This billionaire specifically pointed out: "Some professions will never be replaced—like nobody would want to watch machines play baseball. Humans will always retain exclusive fields, but in manufacturing, logistics, and agricultural production, these will become fundamental issues conquered by AI."

Three Major "AI Immunity" Professions

Gates also listed three professions: coders, biologists, and energy professionals, which are currently difficult to replace.

Programmers: Gates pointed out that the work of developing AI systems and writing code will be stable and secure. Although AI can now automatically generate code, the core competitive advantages of software development, including adaptability, problem-solving abilities, and precision, are still in human hands. Especially in debugging code, optimizing systems, and driving the iteration of AI technology, human developers will continue to play an irreplaceable role.

Biologists: Although AI performs excellently in data processing and auxiliary diagnosis, research work that requires breakthrough thinking, such as forming research hypotheses and designing experimental paths, remains a domain exclusive to biologists. Gates pointed out that artificial intelligence cannot propose hypotheses, and in cutting-edge fields such as gene editing and new drug development, human scientists will still be the core engine driving medical progress.

Energy experts: When discussing the energy sector, Gates pointed out that although AI can improve efficiency, in the complex chess game of carbon neutrality transformation, strategic decisions involving technological route selection and geopolitical balance still require human experts to strategize. Particularly in crisis management and long-term strategic planning, human systematic thinking has a decisive advantage.

Will humans hardly need to work in the future?

In addition, Bill Gates also stated that our working methods may undergo significant changes in the next decade. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, humans may only need to work two to three days a week in the future.

"What will future work look like? Will we only need to work two or three days a week?" Gates asked in an interview. He pointed out: "At the current pace of AI innovation, humans will no longer need to be involved in most jobs."

This is not the first time Gates has made this point. As early as 2023, when OpenAI's ChatGPT was just emerging, he predicted that a new norm of working three days a week would eventually form.

Later, in Trevor Noah's podcast What Now, Gates emphasized: "From a macro perspective, the meaning of life is not just about work," and called on people to rethink how to utilize their time after being liberated from full-time jobs.

Controversial viewpoints on reducing working hours

Despite Gates' vision of a future with reduced working hours, some Indian business leaders hold an entirely opposite view. Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy suggested that Indians should work 70 hours a week to maintain international competitiveness, though he added that this is more of a personal choice rather than a mandatory requirement.

Larsen & Toubro Chairman SN Subrahmanyan thinks further ahead; in an old video, he even expressed regret for not having employees work overtime on Sundays. Previously, he advocated for a 90-hour workweek—however, these comments sparked strong opposition.

The voice that resonates with Gates

There are business leaders who share similar views, not just Gates.

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon recently stated that AI could allow humans to work three and a half days a week. Japan is also conducting related trials, with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government recently launching a four-day workweek pilot, although its main purpose is to address the issue of declining birth rates.

As occupational burnout sweeps across the global workforce, Gates' vision for an AI-driven workweek may come sooner than expected.

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