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- On an episode of his "Unconfuse Me" podcast, Bill Gates explains how ChatGPT stunned him.
- The chatbot demonstrated human-like thinking in just two months of development, Gates said.
- ChatGPT achieved the highest possible score on an AP Bio exam while Gates watched.
Artificial intelligence is advancing quickly, and tech billionaire Bill Gates is continuously impressed by its capabilities.
In a Thursday episode of his podcast, "Unconfuse Me," Gates spoke with Khan Academy CEO Sal Khan about "the most stunning demo I've ever seen in my life." The billionaire watched ChatGPT achieve the highest possible score on an AP Biology exam in August 2022.
ChatGPT, a generative AI program, was created by Microsoft partner OpenAI, and has been the center of debates about education.
When Gates issued the challenge to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to develop the chatbot enough to score highly on the AP Biology exam, he expected the process to take years.
"I thought, 'OK, that'll give me three years to work on HIV and malaria,'" he said on the episode.
It only took two months for ChatGPT to be capable of acing the test. It demonstrated its human-level competency and an ability to read and write almost as well as humans.
Nearly a year later, Gates said he's still thinking about the tech display.
"I'm still, personally, in a state of shock at 'Wow, it is so good,'" he said.
As the chatbot develops, human professionals fear they'll be replaced by AI. While some blame technology for losing their job, others have used the program as a tool to get work done faster.
Gates has argued that AI will transform the workforce and has the potential to become a "digital personal assistant" that enhances employee productivity.
The Microsoft founder continues to champion the use of AI and its potential. Soon, Gates predicts, it could become so powerful that it'd make search engines obsolete.