The history of modern technology is marked by milestones that have redefined the relationship between human beings and machines. One of them is in 1975, when a young Bill Gates, together with his childhood friend Paul Allen, founded Microsoft. That seed would end up shaping one of the most influential companies in history, responsible not only for a change in the software market, but also in the way we work, learn and innovate.

Almost fifty years later, Gates has celebrated his 70th birthday, an event that comes in the midst of a new technological revolution: that of artificial intelligence. Away from Microsoft’s day-to-day life, the entrepreneur now focuses his efforts through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, promoting projects that combine science, technology and social impact.

But despite his withdrawal from the corporate world, Gates remains one of the most influential voices on the future of technology. Recently, on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, he serenely stated: “In ten years’ time, most human tasks will be able to be performed by artificial intelligence.” Far from seeing it as a threat, Gates defends an optimistic and pragmatic vision: AI as the most powerful lever to reduce inequalities and accelerate global progress.

A statement that connects with his 2022 message, when he wrote on his blog that “artificial intelligence is the greatest tool to reduce iniquity we have ever had.” For him, this technology not only optimizes processes, but can democratize access to health, education and knowledge.

From the Barcelona ConTech Hub, this vision resonates especially. Our sector, historically one of the least digitised, is now undergoing an accelerated transformation thanks to the arrival of AI, machine learning and advanced simulation. Startups in our ecosystem are already applying this technology to automate design tasks, predict construction deviations, optimize energy management or improve safety on site.

In a way, Gates’ “new gospel” also speaks to the future of ConTech: a future where technology does not replace, but amplifies human talent to build better, faster, and more sustainably.

On his 70th birthday, Bill Gates does not look back to celebrate the history of Windows, but forward, towards a 2034 that he imagines full of opportunities to solve the great global challenges. And we are sure that among these challenges, there is also that of rethinking how we build the world we inhabit.