Computers really hadn’t improved education, we got that one wrong

Bill Gates has changed the world in a variety of ways.

The iconic tech pioneer has developed a worldwide ecosystem of astonishing creations and programs that have catapulted him into billionaire status. All while developing new tech that will play a vital role in our future. But on one specific aspect, he admits that even he fell short.

Were you part of the first generation that saw computers at your school?

How Bill Gates changed the world for good

At the tender age of just 19, Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard, as most tech pioneers did.

He states that at the time, he had a singular goal of revolutionizing personal computing. He believed that software would define future generations. And it turns out he was right in that regard.

Computers went from being building-sized structures to the tiny personal computers that are our smartphones.

Through Gates’ efforts, Microsoft became the global standard for operating systems. Despite the market expanding to include Apple OS and Linux, Microsoft still holds the dominant market share in desktop operating systems for personal computers.

Human technology has changed the way we perceive the world around us

While Mr. Gates was focused on personal computing evolution, other technological developments have emerged.

New ways to view the planet from telescopes and satellites in the Earth’s orbit have revealed unknown truths about our one and only home in the cosmos. NASA has been tracking a megaberg three times the size of New York City, thanks in no small part to their own technological progress.

The reality of modern-day society is that technology affects every single aspect of life.

E-commerce now dominates the global trade sector, where huge sums of money are sent by simply clicking a button on a computer screen. But not everything has been rosy. As we progress as a species, the world of superbugs around us is evolving too.

Digital technology has seen the world of podcasting explode as everyone and their cousin now has a podcast to listen to.

The On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast has become one of the most popular, dissecting important issues for the world we live in. And the latest full podcast with Bill Gates and Jay Shetty discussed several topics that Mr. Gates has profound knowledge of.

Even a mind as great as Bill Gates can get things wrong, sometimes

On the latest episode of On Purpose with Jay Shetty, Bill Gates revealed that the decision to put computers in schools may have been far more complex than even he would have imagined.

Gates noted that his original theory of simply putting computers into classrooms would positively affect learning was far off.

However, he has admitted that he “got that one wrong” as computers mostly acted like access tools for reading or watching content. Essentially, the idea that computers would automatically result in better educational environments was far off.

Bill Gates, along with several tech giants, views AI as the path to improving education

While some tech companies are focusing on the next generation of devices that use AI to perceive the world around us, Gates believes that artificial intelligence is going to play a key role in our children’s education.

Gates noted that the current AI revolution will finally fulfill his initial promise of computing assisting with personalized learning across the world.

We all dream of a home that is seamlessly connected to a world of AI-powered tech doing the more mundane everyday tasks, but Gates has warned that a balance needs to be developed as to how AI can influence education.

How would you feel about an AI agent educating your children?

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