Bill Gates is someone who usually looks at the future. In fact, if there is something that really enjoys is playing visionary. Since abandoning Microsoft to devote himself to philanthropy, he has not stopped warning about artificial intelligence, climate change, the energy of the future and almost any current issue that seems to affect humanity.
However, it cannot be said that Microsoft’s founding billionaire always successfully shot. Rather on the contrary. It has been seen in some recent statements, but above all it could be verified Back in the 90s, when Bill Gates began to predict what would happen in coming years. In fact, the businessman even had to rectify and recognize his considerable error.
Bill Gates and his lack of vision in the 90s
It is clear that anyone can easily see things to Toro last. But when it comes to a figure like Bill Gates, it is normal for focusing on its predictions. More than anything because they have a lot of tendency to make them, sometimes even in writing. That was precisely what happened when In 1995 he published his book: The Road Ahead. It was already a celebrity then.
And what was the publication about? As his own title already suggested, it was a kind of guide of what was about to arrive at that time. So, seeing it with perspective, what was the great technological revolution of the late 90s that was just around the corner and would change everything? The answer is really very simple: Internet, of course.
The problem is that Bill Gates was not able to see him. To a large extent it undervalued its potential. Instead, he predicted that television would be the epicenter of entertainment and digital communication. It is true that Gates He spoke in his book of «Information Highways», but did not give much relevance to the Internet as suchwhich was a clear error.
Taking into account that only three years after the book saw the light, Google was born, it also attracts attention that Nor would any mention be made of network search engines or anything like that. Social networks were still somewhat distant at that time, it is true, but Bill Gates did not guess their birth, nor the potential they would have over the years.
Rectifying is wise
Due to the criticisms he received from some experts, it is fair to recognize that Bill Gates rectified, and a year after the book had seen the lightreissued it in a revised edition in which it did give more importance to the Internet and the impact it would have. What was right was in the digitalization of society: emails, online banking and others.
Now, thirty years later, it is a good time to take stock and ask if Bill Gates really will be more successful this time when acting as a futurologist. If so, maybe we just work a couple of days a week, who knows.
Know How we work in NoticiasVE.
Tags: Bill Gates