Gates made the proposal in a nearly 6,000-word essay titled “The turbulent AI era is here. The choices we make now are critical,” published on his Gates Notes website.

In the essay, Gates warned that AI could bring major changes to the global workforce, with some jobs potentially disappearing permanently rather than returning after an economic downturn.

He argued that AI is different from many previous technologies because it can increasingly perform tasks that require human thinking and decision-making.

“AI for the first time can replace and even exceed human cognition,” Gates wrote in the essay.

Gates said the transformation could affect a wide range of professions, including customer support, sales, software engineering and paralegal work.

He also pointed to tasks such as analysing data, assessing loan applications and helping to triage patients as areas where AI could increasingly take on work traditionally performed by people.

However, Gates does not believe every job should automatically be handed over to machines simply because AI can perform it.

He proposed creating a category of work called “Human Reserved,” referring to jobs that society would intentionally keep for people even when AI could potentially perform some or all of the same tasks.

The idea is partly based on the concept of nature reserves, where certain areas are protected because society considers them valuable enough to preserve.

Gates suggested that some human-centred work could be protected because it involves qualities such as empathy, trust and personal interaction.

Healthcare is one area he highlighted. He reflected on his own family’s experience, particularly the care his father received while living with Alzheimer’s disease, arguing that there is value in having a human being involved in certain forms of care.

The billionaire philanthropist also warned that governments are not sufficiently prepared for the scale of disruption AI could bring.

He said the impact could extend beyond employment into education, public health and national security, requiring governments to develop stronger policies before the technology advances even further.

Gates has also proposed changing taxation systems to account for the economic impact of AI and automation.

He suggested that governments could consider taxing robots and the use of AI services, including the computing resources or “tokens” used by AI systems.

The goal would be to reduce the incentive for companies to replace workers with machines simply because automation can be cheaper.

At the same time, Gates remains optimistic about the potential benefits of AI.

He has argued that the technology could dramatically improve healthcare, education, agriculture and scientific research if it is developed and deployed responsibly.

His concern is that the benefits could be distributed unevenly, leaving millions of workers vulnerable while concentrating wealth and power among companies and individuals that control advanced AI systems.

Gates described the coming period as potentially one of the most turbulent periods in human history, while arguing that AI could either become a powerful tool for reducing inequality or become a major source of injustice.

He has called for international cooperation to manage the technology, including stronger coordination between major powers.

Gates is also expected to discuss AI policy with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a planned meeting in November 2026.

He has argued that global rules are needed because the risks created by increasingly powerful AI systems cannot be managed effectively by individual countries acting alone.

His latest warning comes as businesses around the world increasingly integrate AI into everyday operations, intensifying the debate over whether the technology will mainly create new opportunities or eliminate large numbers of existing jobs.