Bill Gates praises India’s innovation, highlights AI and vaccine contributions

TDT | Agencies

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has lauded India’s pivotal role in global innovation, spotlighting its advancements in vaccines, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital infrastructure. Speaking to Times Now, Gates expressed admiration for the country’s digital public infrastructure (DPI), which he said has gained worldwide recognition and is being adopted by numerous nations. He credited India’s talent pool—evident from his Microsoft days to the leadership of CEO Satya Nadella—and its entrepreneurial spirit for driving breakthroughs in agriculture, diagnostics, and AI, particularly since the pandemic.

Gates emphasized the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s deep ties with India, especially in healthcare. He noted that most of the world’s low-cost vaccines, which have saved millions of lives globally, are produced by Indian partners working with the foundation. Addressing concerns about India as a vaccine testing ground, he clarified that rigorous safety standards, guided by India’s robust regulators, underpin these efforts. “It’s all about innovation,” he said, dismissing any notion of exploitation.

AI’s Transformative Potential

Highlighting AI’s role, Gates outlined three key applications in India: enhancing farming with weather and soil insights, improving healthcare access for pregnant women via local dialect interfaces, and revolutionizing education with AI tutors. He cited an early AI system in Odisha that’s already boosting farmers’ productivity by tackling pests and optimizing resources. “Even a farmer with a small plot should get fantastic advice,” he said, underscoring the technology’s inclusivity.

A Vision for 2047

Gates praised India’s ambitious goal to become a fully developed nation by 2047, applauding both federal and state-level efforts to fuel economic growth. He celebrated the clever, cost-effective innovations emerging from India’s startup scene, where successful entrepreneurs are setting a philanthropic example at a young age. However, he voiced concern over global conflicts, like those in Ukraine and the Middle East, diverting resources from aid and health initiatives in Africa. Despite this, he remains optimistic, buoyed by worldwide innovation.