Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates emphasized the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in addressing global issues in health, education, and agriculture during a meeting with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday.
Speaking in Jakarta, Gates expressed optimism that AI-driven innovation could accelerate efforts to overcome major health challenges, including the eradication of diseases like polio, measles, and malaria. “Once we finish eradicating polio, we’d like to try and eradicate measles and malaria as well,” Gates said. “We have some new tools for that, and of course, part of my optimism about innovation is because we now have artificial intelligence.”
Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy with a population of approximately 280 million, is seeing a surge in demand for AI and data infrastructure. Gates’ visit also included discussions with local philanthropists and a visit to an elementary school in Jakarta, where he joined Prabowo in observing a student meal program launched by the president.
Since 2009, Gates has donated over $159 million to support health initiatives in Indonesia, including vaccine programs. Meanwhile, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced a $1.7 billion investment in 2023 aimed at bolstering the country’s AI and cloud computing capabilities.
