Bill Gates says AI will replace humans for most things — but coding will remain “a 100% human profession” centuries later

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Over recent times, job security has emerged as a significant worry for many career-minded individuals, particularly with the growing use and acceptance of artificial intelligence in various industries worldwide. Naturally, these concerns extend beyond just AI’s impact on employment, covering also the related matters of safety and data privacy.

Industry leaders have boldly forecasted possible adverse effects of AI on jobs, with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang going so far as to suggest that coding could become obsolete due to AI advancements. Instead, he encourages the younger generation to explore alternative careers in fields such as biology, manufacturing, education, or agriculture.

In more recent times, Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, stated that AI could potentially reduce entry-level white-collar jobs by half within the next few years. This prediction has sparked debate, with some business leaders like Huang considering it an exaggeration or alarmist in nature.

It’s clear that AI is significantly transforming the world, particularly in the realm of work, as it takes over mundane and recurring tasks. This increase in productivity frees up time for professionals to tackle intricate problems. However, this advancement also poses a threat to certain jobs.

Bill Gates claims programming is future-proofed in an AI-driven world

Bill Gates, a co-founder of Microsoft, suggested earlier this year that AI could take over many tasks previously performed by humans. Yet, he emphasized that people will still be able to protect certain jobs and activities from automation. He made an analogy using the example, “Nobody would enjoy watching computers playing baseball.

Remarkably, the executive asserted during an interview on France Inter (through ELCABILDO) that programming is impervious to automation using AI. He also hinted that this field will continue to be a purely human occupation, even a century from today.

Previously, the philanthropist billionaire has mentioned that some jobs might endure the era of artificial intelligence. This year itself, the executive hinted towards coding experts, biologists, and energy sector professionals not being overtaken by generative AI.

According to Gates, these particular professions remain least likely to be automated through AI due to their intricate nature. He emphasizes that for programming tasks, human intervention is indispensable in detecting and rectifying mistakes, enhancing algorithms, and fostering the growth of AI. Moreover, he contends that AI-driven tools are incapable of mimicking human creativity and intuitive decision-making.

In other places, there’s growing interest in OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model due to its impressive programming skills, leading certain individuals to ponder about the relevance of employing software engineers.

Many people are worried about their job stability as AI technology becomes widespread, with former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati predicting that while AI will create new jobs, it may also eliminate certain professions.

Certain creative roles might become obsolete. However, one could argue that these positions were unnecessary if the output lacked superior quality.

If you haven’t heard, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff mentioned that the company was contemplating the possibility of recruiting software engineers in 2025. More recently, the executive shared that they are utilizing Artificial Intelligence technology to handle up to half of the company’s tasks.

In another study, it was proposed that AI could potentially automate about 54% of roles in the banking sector. However, Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google’s DeepMind, expresses a different viewpoint, stating that AI is unlikely to replace the jobs of skilled professionals.

Instead, the executive asserted that AI can significantly boost our work efficiency, transforming us into “super-capable” individuals. He further suggested that certain jobs will continue to require human involvement. Adding to this, he mentioned that there are tasks we wouldn’t want machines to perform, as they lack the ability to exhibit empathy. In a related note, Hassabis pointed out that patients prefer human interaction over robot caregivers, due to the difficulty in demonstrating compassion.

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2025-07-09 14:09