Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has shared his thoughts on vaccine conspiracy theories surrounding him, the struggles of Intel, and the antitrust challenges facing Google. Despite being a long-time advocate for vaccines, Gates expressed puzzlement at the recent surge in conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines and his role in them.
Gates attributed the confusion to the fact that vaccination efforts have led to significant reductions in child deaths since the turn of the century. He hopes that these misconceptions will die down, as infectious diseases are now at low levels in the US. In contrast, Africa faces immediate consequences due to measles outbreaks, making it harder for people to reconnect with the value of vaccines.
Gates also discussed Intel’s struggles, citing the company’s failure to adapt to the shift from PCs to smartphones 18 years ago. He noted that Microsoft has bounced back while Intel has faced difficulties, including a new CEO search and concerns about its future. Gates expressed his doubts about Intel’s ability to recover, given its missed opportunities in AI chip design and fabrication.
The co-founder also reflected on his company’s antitrust case with the US Justice Department, which led to Google’s rise as a dominant player in the tech industry. Gates acknowledged that Google’s success has been “amazing,” but also noted the challenges it faces due to its dominance. He expressed admiration for Google’s ability to hire top talent and diversify into new areas, but warned that antitrust issues are inevitable when companies become too successful.
Gates concluded that Microsoft learned valuable lessons from its antitrust experience, which has helped it stay out of trouble since then. However, he also recognized the difficulties that hyper-successful companies like Google face in regulating their growth.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/bill-gates-interview-vaccines-intel-google-a8a57b3e21064e888083f977acd52812