Bill Gates on Trump, AI, and a Life of Revolutionizing Tech | Amanpour and Company

In the United States, international aid is on Trump's foreign policy chopping block. For now, a federal judge has paused a funding freeze on USAID. Tech giant Bill Gates joins Walter Isaacson to explain how the global fight against disease could be affected by the sweeping cuts. Gates also discusses his new memoir, “Source Code.”

Originally aired on February 17, 2025

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Major support for Amanpour and Company is provided by Jim Attwood and Leslie Williams, Candace King Weir, the Sylvia A. and Simon B. Poyta Programming Endowment to Fight Antisemitism, the Leila and Mickey Straus Family Charitable Trust, Mark J. Blechner, the Filomen M. D’Agostino Foundation, Seton J. Melvin, the Peter G. Peterson and Joan Ganz Cooney Fund, Charles Rosenblum, Koo and Patricia Yuen, Barbara Hope Zuckerberg, and Jeffrey Katz and Beth Rogers.

Watch Amanpour and Company weekdays on PBS (check local listings).

Amanpour and Company features wide-ranging, in-depth conversations with global thought leaders and cultural influencers on the issues and trends impacting the world each day, from politics, business and technology to arts, science and sports. Christiane Amanpour leads the conversation on global and domestic news from London with contributions by prominent journalists Walter Isaacson, Michel Martin, Alicia Menendez and Hari Sreenivasan from the Tisch WNET Studios at Lincoln Center in New York City.

#amanpourpbs

[ellaaysun]

I hope we all know that it doesn't matter who is in the 'top job' because this is a systemic problem -- greed. We have allowed many of our economic sectors, to take advantage of the American people. It's disgusting and frightening for the future of our country. My husband and I will be retiring in the next two years n another country. We are absolutely worried that SS! will no longer be funded. we'll have to rely on his pension, a 403 (b) and a very prolific Investment account with Catalina Soto Busch my FA. Our national debt is bloating and expanding every month. Our government needs to get spending under control and cut the federal budget.

[sgn]

Strange how he backs away from being critical of Elon or Trump.

[azin]

A for-profit-government is no longer a government by the people, for the people!!!

[RapidfireLaser]

He's grown more graceful over the years. Still very evidence based but can speak with diplomacy. He's solving problems with his own money and helping humanity.

[John-znlp]

I never heard Musk say he "went overboard" on the cuts.

[Hklbrries]

Bill Gates is careful with his words and far more diplomatic than I would have been.

[taylorw]

Important conversation. Isaacson has a unique position to report on the people of the tech culture. Well worth keeping up with.

[msolomonii]

People have very short memories or they've bought into the whole redemption thing, this guy is in no small part responsible for a lotta the worst of our oligarchy today, he's no saint by any stretch of the imagination. So tired of how people gush on him like he's one of the "good ones". There are NO good oligarchs, period.

[howiedawson]

The biggest difference between AI and human intelligence will continue to be motivation. Human motivation will continue to come from an internal source influenced by external factors but unique to the individual, while AI motivation will be programmed by a small group of people.

[gypsyroadstudioheathertena]

Bill has a very diplomatic way of answering questions

[Theabok]

If you are an ordinary guy, AI is not your friend and AI may help with your consumption but will not change your situation for the better but for the worse.

[gerriperreault]

Great interview. Useful on many levels.

[bellajobb]

I wonder what the best opportunities to invest now are, there are opinions but a little later I find out these opinions don't matter as a totally different turn of events play out with the stocks they discussed therein...

[shaggybreeks]

In 1966-67, I worked at a model car race track in Bill's home town. LOL, he was about 8 or 9 years old, but I do remember him. Customers would sign onto the track and pay by the minute. If somebody had to do an adjustment to their car, they could ask to have their time stopped... most people didn't bother, but he was extremely mindful of his time. He also wanted to see everything in the showcase. Very curious. In spite of being a bit of a pain in the ass, his quirky habits were amusing, and we liked him. He was a cool kid.

[hel]

this guy has a better camera than the news people

[mimirows]

Grassley should be standing up for the farmers.

[alexi]

Always appreciate the clarification that we need more than ever, thanks gentlemen.

[lightlegion_]

You’re doing an incredible job with your content!

[michaelramzi]

On a related matters USA is officially run by few hyper billionaires for their own riches and self agredisement. And outlook of democracy is decreasing at increasing rate.

[daniel_]

he has the particular gift of making somebody understanding what he would like saying or what he is actually saying versus what he is saying ....