Microsoft founder Bill Gates has warned that global cooperation is at a "new low," calling the current state of international relations one of the most tumultuous in decades.
In an interview with NDTV's Vishnu Som at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Gates emphasized his belief that strong alliances, particularly between the U.S. and India, are vital to global stability. "I think the logic of the US and India having a strong relationship will win out," he said.
Gates drew a historical parallel, saying the only time comparable in tension was the 1960s, marked by the Vietnam War and political unrest.
"We did get through that. The US came out of that as a stronger country," he noted. While acknowledging that the present feels more volatile than expected, Gates said he believes the global community will emerge stronger if it recommits to "win-win relationships" and predictable behavior.
This year's Davos, he agreed, is one of the most tense in memory. Yet amid the discord, Gates pointed to innovation, especially in AI, as a transformative force. He believes that India, with its digital backbone and government support, is uniquely positioned to pioneer applications of AI in health, education, and agriculture.
India's investments in platforms such as Aadhaar and DigiLocker, Gates said, have laid the groundwork for scalable digital public infrastructure. His foundation, in partnership with philanthropists like Nandan Nilekani and institutions like IIT Delhi, is now helping adapt India's open-source identity framework, MOSIP, for use across Africa.
"I would expect that the most exciting pioneer work, a lot of that will come out of India," Gates said. India's role in enabling AI tools that operate in multiple regional languages is, according to Gates, a model for inclusive tech development.
On AI's risks, Gates was clear-eyed. He said governments must prepare for job displacement and AI-enabled cyber threats, fraud, and misinformation. "Whenever we have a new advance, it's used by good people for good and bad people for bad," he warned. Still, he believes AI will be critical in bridging healthcare gaps, especially in underserved areas like sub-Saharan Africa, where doctor shortages are acute.
His foundation is already piloting AI in Rwanda through the Horizon 1000 program, launched in collaboration with OpenAI. The goal: reduce paperwork, cut patient wait times, and streamline diagnosis. "It's hard to overstate the shortage of capability in these systems," Gates said.
Since its inception in 2000, the Gates Foundation has played a pivotal role in transforming global health, and India has been central to that mission. He highlighted that child mortality has halved since the turn of the century, a shift Gates credits in large part to the Foundation's long-standing partnership with the Indian government.
From expanding vaccine access to implementing digital systems for inventory and staffing, the Foundation has helped modernize India's primary health care infrastructure.
Looking ahead, the Foundation is focused on ensuring equitable access to AI-driven advances across health, education, and agriculture. Gates said their goal for the Foundation's final 20 years is to eliminate the technology gap between rich nations and developing countries, especially in Africa. "Everything we do in health and education and agriculture...making sure there's no delay between when rich countries are using these technologies and a less developed country gets access, that's a big mission,” Gates said, underscoring India's growing role as a global testbed for scalable innovation.
Despite the complex AI landscape and rising global tensions, Gates maintains hope. "It's very human to be afraid about what comes next," he said. "But innovation gives us a lot of new capacity... so yes, I'm an optimist."
