Bill Gates on Why He Wrote His AI Memo

The biggest question I got when the memo came out was why did I write it when I did.

這份備忘錄發表時，我收到最大的疑問是：為什麼我會選在這個時間點寫這篇文章？

And there are two large reasons.

主要有兩個大原因。

One is the phenomenal progress that AI models have made. I've been amazed at those capabilities.

第一是 AI 模型所取得的驚人進展。我對這些強大能力深感驚嘆。

The second big reason beyond the progress is that I was surprised at the lack of engagement outside of the industry in terms of the issues that will be raised.

除了技術進展外的第二個主因，是我很驚訝業界以外的人士，對即將面臨的各項議題缺乏深入參與。

And how do you either avoid or minimize the potential negative effects?

以及我們該如何避免或盡量降低潛在的負面影響？

If you're used to my memos being 100% optimistic, I will say this is different.

如果你習慣了我以往百分之百樂觀的備忘錄，我必須說這次截然不同。

A lot of people reading the memo noted that I admitted that if we're not careful, the negatives could outweigh the positives, that that was the first time I'd ever said anything like that.

許多人在讀了備忘錄後注意到我承認了一點：如果我們不夠謹慎，負面衝擊可能會壓過正面效益，這是我有史以來第一次發表這樣的看法。

For some of these challenges, I don't have the full solutions.

針對其中的某些挑戰，我也還沒有完整的解答。

It's going to take a global effort.

這將需要全球通力合作。

That can sound idealistic, but that's absolutely what we need.

這聽起來或許過於理想化，但這絕對是我們所迫切需要的。

I'd always expected that as AI came along, I'd be one of the people participating in the discussion.

我一直預期隨著 AI 的發展，我會是參與這場討論的其中一員。

And I thought the unique perspective I would bring is through my foundation work,

我認為我能帶來獨特視角，是來自於我在基金會的投入，

to say, "Okay, let's use this for better crops for poor farmers who have to deal with climate change."

也就是主張：「好，讓我們用它來改良農作物，幫助必須應對氣候變遷的貧窮農民。」

Or let's use this to have new tools to not only reduce, but eradicate malaria.

或是用它開發全新工具，不僅能減少、更能徹底根除瘧疾。

I've had an interesting two careers: one very much in the technology space, and now one through the foundation that's in the equity space.

我經歷了兩段很有趣的職涯：一段深耕於科技領域，另一段則是透過基金會致力於促進社會公平。

I've been wrong about a number of things,

我在很多事情上也曾看走眼，

but as I saw the vacuum of industry engagement on AI, I thought that it's really incumbent upon me to share my shock

但當我看到產業界對 AI 的參與出現真空時，我認為自己有責任分享我的震驚，

and the fact that if people are not worried about this because they don't think it'll ever be good enough or they think it's, you know, generations away before we face these challenges,

以及指出一個事實：如果人們因為覺得它不夠好、或是以為還要好幾代之後才會面臨這些挑戰而不感到擔憂，

I know from my technological background that that's not the case.

依據我自身的科技背景，我知道事實並非如此。

In the end, I should only be one of many, many thousands of spokespeople.

到頭來，我也只該是成千上萬名發聲者之一。

And that's my message: is to get lots more engagement from people who have a background that can help us find our way through it.

而這正是我想傳達的訊息：希望能促成更多具備相關背景的人士共同參與，協助我們找到前行的方向。