Bill Gates says artificial intelligence is entering a decisive and turbulent period in which policy choices will determine whether the technology expands opportunity or deepens inequality. In a recent interview with Teresa Clarke, Africa.com’s CEO, Gates argued that governments, academics, businesses, citizens, and technology companies must work together to ensure the technology benefits everyone. In Africa, he identified agriculture as an area where AI is already producing practical benefits, including better planting decisions, weather forecasting, and early detection of crop diseases. He highlighted that more Africans can benefit from the technology if it is available in local languages. Gates also argued that the technology can help professionals serve more people. Rather than building foundational models from scratch, he sees opportunities for African developers to customize major models for local needs.