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Updated: Jul 25, 2020 22:44 IST

Microsoft founder and billionaire Bill Gates on Sunday said technology in its current form can free up our time but cannot tell us what we should do with that free time. Gates was speaking on ‘Technology for Social Inclusion’ as part of Mint Visionaries in New Delhi.

A series of conversations with people who are torchbearers for a new future is what Mint Visionaries was all about. Mint held the first conversation with Bill Gates, co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates was in conversation with Rishad Premji, chairman, Wipro Ltd. They were later joined by Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog.

“The world needs new technology that will let us generate energy without greenhouse gas emissions,” Gates said. Elaborating on the link between technology and climate change, the Microsoft founder said, “The world has to accelerate innovation to mitigate the risk of climate change.”

WATCH | Full Video: Bill Gates and Rishad Premji in conversation I Mint Visionaries

Referring to the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Gates emphasized that AI could give humanity some miracle tools, but at the same time the impact of AI on jobs is an important issue.

“Electric cars in the next 10-15 years will outcompete gasoline cars without subsidy. We have to accelerate innovation which won’t come if we don’t step in,” Gates said while offering solutions to tackle climate change globally. Gates also mentioned that he is currently writing a book on climate change and that it should be published by June 2020.

Gates is currently on a three-day visit to India to review the work of his foundation in the country. Gates also hailed India’s Aadhaar identification system as well as adoption of the UPI system in the country.

In the last one decade, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been working in areas of health-care, sanitation, agriculture and financial services for the underprivileged people in India.

Mint Visionaries seeks to highlight a whole host of issues like technology, empowerment, new economy, social change, urban solutions, alternative modes of development, mobility, migration, renewables— all of which are defining a new India.