Bill Gates has identified three career fields he reportedly believes could remain particularly resilient as artificial intelligence transforms the global workforce.
The Microsoft co-founder has frequently discussed how advances in AI could reshape employment, with increasingly capable technology already being used to perform tasks that once required human workers.
From writing and customer service to data analysis and administration, businesses are finding new ways to automate everyday responsibilities.
However, Gates has been linked to predictions that certain professions will remain dependent on human expertise, even as artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated.
And some of the careers identified in reports about his views may surprise people concerned about their own job security.
Which three jobs does Bill Gates believe are safe from AI?
According to reports discussing Gates' predictions, three fields stand out: biology, energy expertise, and software development.
These professions are considered relatively resilient because they involve complex problem-solving, innovation and decisions that cannot always be reduced to automated processes.
However, this does not mean workers in these industries are guaranteed protection from AI-related disruption.
1. Biologists
Biology is the first field identified in reports about Gates' outlook on employment.
Scientists studying living organisms, diseases and genetics regularly encounter questions that require experimentation, original thinking and the interpretation of uncertain evidence.
Artificial intelligence is already transforming biological research by helping scientists analyse genetic information, model proteins and identify patterns in enormous datasets.
Nevertheless, researchers remain responsible for designing experiments, interpreting discoveries and determining how findings should be applied in the real world.
The combination of scientific judgement and practical experimentation is one reason the profession may remain important despite increasing automation.
2. Energy experts
The second field is energy, including professionals involved in electricity networks, renewable technologies and major infrastructure systems.
Energy specialists must navigate complicated challenges involving supply, demand, safety, environmental concerns and long-term investment.
Although AI can forecast electricity consumption, identify inefficiencies and assist with managing power networks, human oversight remains important when decisions have major consequences.
Engineers and energy professionals also have to consider regulations, infrastructure limitations and unexpected events that automated systems may struggle to handle independently.
As countries modernise their energy networks, expertise in these areas could remain valuable.
3. Programmers and software developers
Perhaps the most surprising inclusion is programming, considering how rapidly artificial intelligence has improved at generating computer code.
AI-powered tools can already write functions, identify bugs and help developers build applications more quickly.
However, software development involves much more than simply writing lines of code.
Developers must understand what users need, design reliable systems, make architectural decisions and ensure technology behaves safely and correctly.
While some routine programming tasks may become automated, responsibility for designing and maintaining complex software systems is likely to remain an important part of the profession.
Bill Gates also believes another career could survive AI
During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Gates suggested that professional sport would be another area where people continue to value human participation.
Using baseball as an example, he explained that audiences would not necessarily want to watch computers compete instead of human athletes.
His point was that technological capability does not automatically mean people will want every human activity replaced.
Are millions of jobs really at risk from artificial intelligence?
The wider debate about AI and employment remains far from settled.
Research published by Microsoft has examined occupations whose tasks overlap most closely with the capabilities of generative AI, including translators, writers and certain administrative workers.
However, researchers have stressed that measuring how useful AI could be within a profession is not the same as predicting that the entire job will disappear.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also argued that the outcome depends partly on whether businesses use AI primarily to replace employees or to help existing workers become more productive.
Ultimately, no career can be guaranteed to remain unchanged as technology advances.
While the three fields associated with Gates' predictions may retain important human responsibilities, their workers are also likely to experience significant changes in how their jobs are performed.
