By The Malketeer
From Code to Controversy: The Unfiltered Memoir of a Tech Titan
Bill Gates is no stranger to shaking up industries, but in his new memoir Source Code: My Beginnings, he’s pulling back the curtain on his childhood, his formative years, and his no-holds-barred take on today’s tech overlords—including one Elon Musk.
The Microsoft co-founder, billionaire philanthropist, and AI evangelist recently sat down with select Asian media, including The Straits Times (Singapore), to discuss the first installment of his planned trilogy of memoirs.
The book spans his early obsession with coding, the friendships that shaped him, and the defining moment when he ditched Harvard to build what would become one of the most powerful tech empires on the planet.
But Gates being Gates, the conversation inevitably veered into today’s biggest headlines—AI, global politics, and the increasing grip of tech leaders on world affairs.
And yes, Musk was front and centre.
“Nobody Elected Tech Leaders”
As the 69-year-old Gates rocked gently back and forth—something noted by many who’ve met him—he reflected on how his mind operates, even suggesting he may be on the autism spectrum.
But when the topic turned to Musk’s controversial new role in U.S. government, his answers became razor-sharp.
Musk, the world’s richest man, had just been appointed by U.S. President Donald Trump to head the Department of Government Efficiency (ironically acronymed as DOGE).
At the same time, Musk was making waves for endorsing far-right European politicians on social media.
So, does Gates believe tech titans should be shaping global politics?
His answer was measured, but unmistakable: “You could take this too far. Nobody elected tech leaders.”
It was a subtle yet damning statement, one that hinted at growing unease about the unchecked power of Silicon Valley’s biggest names.
Gates himself has had private dinners with Trump and frequent dialogues with global leaders, but he argues that there’s a fine line between influence and overreach.
In a later interview with The Times of London, he was even more direct, saying, “We can all overreach… If someone is super-smart, and he is, they should think how they can help out. But this is populist stirring.”
From Harvard Dropout to AI Evangelist
For a man once crowned the king of the first tech revolution, Gates remains a firm believer in the potential of AI.
“I’ve been waiting for AI my whole career,” he admitted.
But it wasn’t until ChatGPT-4 in 2023 that he truly felt the promise of artificial intelligence had arrived.
Now, the Gates Foundation is leveraging AI for drug discovery, an effort he says is “accelerating our results pretty substantially.”
And despite concerns about AI’s darker implications, he remains bullish on its benefits.
“The net benefit is there for AI, and we can minimise some of those negatives if we’re smart about it,” he said.
“If we don’t focus on solving the problems, it won’t get better the way that it should.”
His optimism about AI is particularly striking given his admission that he once believed in the “unadulterated goodness” of technology.
Social media shattered that illusion.
“Not to say that criminals couldn’t use a spreadsheet, but once you have social networks, there were enclaves for people to share crazy ideas.”
The Tragedy That Changed Everything
While Source Code is filled with tales of young Gates spending sleepless nights coding in frigid labs, there’s one chapter that reveals a more vulnerable side of him.
At 17, he lost his best friend, Kent Evans, in a hiking accident—a loss he describes as “completely shocking.”
“For a few months, I didn’t do much at all,” Gates recalled.
The tragedy, he says, pushed him closer to Paul Allen, his eventual Microsoft co-founder.
It’s a rare glimpse into the emotions of a man often seen as hyper-rational, a reminder that even tech titans are shaped by loss and grief.
A Student for Life—But Don’t Call Him a Dropout
For all the “Harvard dropout” lore surrounding him, Gates bristles at the label.
“It’s kind of weird. I watch more courses and read more books,” he quipped.
“I’m actually one of the most enthusiastic students that ever lived.”
His parting words?
Luck played a role in his success, but so did relentless curiosity.
And whether it’s AI, philanthropy, or taking jabs at Musk, one thing is clear—Bill Gates isn’t done shaping the future just yet.
Source: The Straits Times (Singapore)
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