CNBC Business | Bill Gates: The revolution has just begun

Bill Gates: The revolution has just begun

Affordable, simple technology will extend social and economic opportunities around the globe, says Microsoft chairman Bill Gates

VISION FOR THE FUTURE:Microsoft chairman Bill Gates believes that far from reaching its peak, technological progress is actually accelerating

People often ask me if we’re nearing the end of the digital revolution – if technology progress is at a point of diminishing returns and the computer has reached the apex of its development.

I believe the opposite is true. In many ways, the incredible advances of the past few decades have laid the foundation for much more profound changes. In years to come, hardware will continue to improve, often in dramatic and surprising ways. Software will continue to advance as we develop new approaches to take advantage of multi-core processors, expanded data storage, and more pervasive broadband access. Together, hardware and software will be the catalyst for advances during the next 10 years that will far exceed the changes of the last 30 years.

Soon computing and software will be available everywhere – throughout the office and home; in your car; and in shops, restaurants, and public spaces. We’ll access computing capabilities on a wide range of devices, often taking advantage of nearby displays and projection surfaces. Meanwhile, massive data centres and the ubiquity of broadband networks will create a fabric of information and computing capabilities that extends across our lives at work and at home, from any location.

This combination of powerful software running on devices, services running on the Web, and huge amounts of storage available via the internet will mean that all of your information will be instantly accessible to you. Soon, you’ll be able to call up any documents or media files that you’ve created or saved, using any device at hand – whether it’s a PC, phone, TV, games console, or music device. Your preferences, contacts, calendars and applications will be available, and the way information and features are presented will automatically adjust to deliver the best experience for the device you are using.

These changes will have a dramatic impact on business. New IT tools are enabling companies of all sizes to streamline communications, simplify day-to-day processes and provide employees with instant access to the information they need. Even more important, we are closer than ever to realising our vision for information systems that have the flexibility, intelligence, and self-awareness to adapt automatically as business conditions change. These systems will deliver the information, services, and applications that employees and customers need, when and where they need them.

Technology is also changing the way people live – the way we share experiences and communicate with the people we care about; the way we preserve memories; the way we access entertainment; the way we learn; and how we utilise healthcare. It is transforming the way we interact with each other and understand the world.

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