--
Bill Gates Said He'd Drop out of College for These 3 Jobs Today
Harvard's most famous dropout, Bill Gates, ditched university in 1975 to found Microsoft, which later lead to him becoming the world’s wealthiest man. He dropped out after only two years of school to start the multinational technology company with his childhood friend, Paul Allen. And it wasn't until 2007, more than three decades later, that he'd finally received his honorary doctorate from his alma mater.
He's called himself a "bad influence" when speaking to students at graduation ceremonies before but, when speaking at Columbia University on Friday, he told the crowd of roughly 1,000 that he may have dropped out again for jobs in certain fields.
While the billionaire admitted that, if he were to drop out of college today there's a limited chance he'd have ended up so successful (after all, the No. 1 priority of his foundation is investing in education), he did admit that some fields seem more promising to him than others, according to Forbes.
1. Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence has the most potential, he said. He called the current research being done "profound," noting that we're on the verge of making new breakthroughs. "The ability for artificial agents to read and understand material is going to be phenomenal," he said. "Anything connected with that would be an exciting lifetime career."
2. Energy
"Reliable, cheap and clean" energy is in demand, he said, and we're still lacking a system that can provide enough energy that meets those criteria. He sees the field of enegry as an area of opportunity for innovators, he said while adding that "there are many paths to get to where we need to go."
3. Biotech
Developments in the biosciences are "moving faster than ever," according to Gates, adding that the fights against obesity, cancer and depression need innovation.
AnnaMarie Houlis is a multimedia journalist and an adventure aficionado with a keen cultural curiosity and an affinity for solo travel. She's an editor by day and a travel blogger at HerReport.org by night.
Why women love us:
- Daily articles on career topics
- Jobs at companies dedicated to hiring more women
- Advice and support from an authentic community
- Events that help you level up in your career
- Free membership, always