Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates emphasizes that with strategic investments, artificial intelligence (AI) can bridge the gap between innovation in wealthy and poor nations, making the world more equitable.

In a blog post titled ‘The road ahead reaches a turning point in 2024,’ Gates suggests drawing lessons from global health to ensure AI’s fairness. AI, if invested wisely, can accelerate drug discovery, particularly for diseases affecting the world’s poorest. Gates highlights the Gates Foundation’s focus on addressing health issues like AIDS, TB, and malaria with AI tools.

Can AI combat antibiotic resistance? Nana Kofi Quakyi from the Aurum Institute in Ghana develops an AI-powered tool for responsible antibiotic prescriptions, considering local data on resistance.

Gates explores AI’s potential in improving outcomes for high-risk pregnancies, mentioning Armaan’s language model as a potential aid for health workers. The model adjusts to the user’s experience level.

Addressing HIV risk assessment, Gates notes a South African chatbot that acts as an unbiased counselor for providing around-the-clock advice, making discussions about sexual history more accessible.

Gates predicts significant AI use in high-income countries within 18-24 months and a comparable level in African countries within three years, minimizing the lag seen with previous innovations.