Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz is starting a new academy aimed at training aspiring startup founders, backed by $42 million in funding. The program is positioned as an alternative to traditional college education for people who want to build tech companies.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-23
At its Goalkeepers event in New York, the Gates Foundation announced a coalition of about 60 organizations—including Anthropic, Google and the OpenAI Foundation—aimed at making AI tools available in more underrepresented languages, targeting over 3 billion people over five years. Bill Gates called for wealthier nations to boost foreign aid and pair it with AI-driven innovation, while the event highlighted the U.N.'s warning that progress on sustainable development goals remains slow.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-22
Breakthrough Energy Ventures has unveiled its sixth annual Fellows program, backing 21 early-stage companies working across agriculture, nuclear fusion, robotics and data center power efficiency. The lineup includes Borealis Fusion, which is developing fusion reactors fueled by proton-boron rather than conventional deuterium-tritium mixtures. Managing partner Eric Toone said the selections are made with an eye toward a looming tripling of global electricity demand as economies electrify, not just today's AI-driven power crunch.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-22
Bill Gates told Reuters that no government has adequately studied or planned for the risks AI poses to jobs and society, comparing the technology's arrival to an alien invasion in movies where global powers unite to respond. He said he has discussed these concerns with leaders including Donald Trump and is seeking a meeting with Xi Jinping, and suggested some jobs should be designated 'Human Reserved.'
tomshardware.com
· 2026-09-15
Bill Gates addressed the Telluride Film Festival this past weekend, following the release of a 6,000-word essay outlining concerns about artificial intelligence's potential dangers. The Microsoft co-founder used the appearance to reinforce his cautionary message about the technology's societal impact.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-10
An internal Microsoft email from January 2003, later made public through litigation records, shows Bill Gates recounting a frustrating attempt to download Windows Movie Maker and a Digital Plus pack from Microsoft's own website. Gates described slow load times, a confusing list of 45 unfiltered download options, failed searches for 'moviemaker' and 'movie maker,' and being redirected to Windows Update just to find the software.
techemails.com
· 2026-09-07
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong told the Katie Miller Podcast that he views philanthropy as often a 'net negative on the world,' arguing that charitable foundations tend to get 'captured by ideology.' Despite an estimated net worth of $8.7 billion, Armstrong said he has decided not to pursue large-scale giving, contrasting his stance with figures like Bill Gates.
futurism.com
· 2026-08-31
In a lengthy new blog post and media interviews, Bill Gates has shifted from AI optimism to alarm, warning that the technology could become either the greatest equalizer or the worst source of inequality in history. He told Semafor he's shocked others aren't as worried as he is, arguing AI's breadth means virtually no job will be untouched.
futurism.com
· 2026-08-26
MIT Technology Review has published its annual Kids issue, exploring how children are experiencing and adapting to a world saturated with AI and technology, including topics like AI companionship, monitoring apps, and schools' use of AI. Separately, in an interview featured in the same roundup, Bill Gates told MIT Technology Review's Mat Honan that he believes society has already crossed certain safety thresholds with artificial intelligence, expressing concern about risks ranging from economic disruption to loss of control over AI systems.
technologyreview.com
· 2026-08-26
In a lengthy essay, Bill Gates cautioned that artificial intelligence is advancing faster than governments and institutions can prepare for, with no coordinated strategy in place to manage its effects. He called for regulation and international cooperation to address risks to employment, safety and general well-being.
wsj.com
· 2026-08-26
Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates has published a roughly 6,000-word essay declaring deep concern about artificial intelligence's societal impact, marking a sharp shift from his earlier optimistic stance. He argues the AI transition will be uniquely turbulent compared to past technological shifts and warns society is not adequately preparing for its consequences, while stopping short of offering concrete new solutions.
theverge.com
· 2026-08-26
Bill Gates said in an interview that the AI industry has already crossed safety thresholds that companies had previously agreed would trigger action, yet no binding restrictions have followed. He argued the US and China should openly state their intentions on AI safety measures, such as monitoring AI models capable of designing dangerous molecules, even without formal agreements in place.
technologyreview.com
· 2026-08-26