Bill Gates warns AI will bring 20 years of upheaval before an era of abundance

Speaking on The Verge’s Decoder podcast on October 22, 2026, Bill Gates warned that artificial intelligence would bring a 20-year transition marked by winners, losers and major disruptions. He cited cyberattacks on banks and power grids, as well as bioterrorism, among the risks, while predicting that robots could build homes, grow food and perform surgery. Gates said young people could use AI to make a positive impact and help shape policy. The article also recalls his 2015 warning that a highly infectious virus could cause a global pandemic, a prediction widely revisited after Covid-19 spread worldwide.