Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has yet again pledged billions of dollars towards global health and other initiatives in 2026.
Speaking at Abu Dhabi Finance Week in an interview with CNBC’s Tania Bryer, Gates revealed how the resources of his foundation will be used and deployed in the coming year.
“We can take these wonderful pledges that we’ve just got and make sure we use them very effectively,” Gates said. “It’ll be a year where we’re piloting a lot of those AI tools… most people in Africa are farmers who have very small plots of land, and today very low productivity. We want to dramatically raise their productivity, and we see that’s doable.”
Apart from his philanthropic endeavors, Gates also shared a word of warning to the AI industry.
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“AI is only a bubble in the sense that not all of these valuations will end up going up. Some of them will go down.”
Gates predicted that “a reasonable percentage of those companies won’t be worth that much.”
Bill Gates remains one of the world’s leading philanthropists in 2025, primarily through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which he co-founded in 2000. The foundation focuses on improving global health, reducing poverty, expanding access to education, and supporting economic opportunities for disadvantaged populations. It partners with governments, international organizations, and civil society to implement initiatives in immunization, disease eradication, maternal and child health, and health system strengthening. These efforts continue to make a significant impact on global development.
In May, Gates announced an accelerated philanthropic plan through the foundation, stating that he intends to give away more than $200 billion over the next 20 years and spend down the foundation’s endowment by 2045. This initiative is designed to expand support for global health, poverty alleviation, and education programs, building on decades of philanthropic work.
In December, at the Goalkeepers Summit in Abu Dhabi, Gates and partner organizations highlighted a $1.9 billion multi-partner commitment to polio eradication, with the Gates Foundation contributing approximately $1.2 billion. The foundation also continues to support the Giving Pledge, a campaign co-founded by Gates that encourages wealthy individuals worldwide to commit a portion of their wealth to charitable causes. These efforts underscore Gates’ ongoing dedication to improving health, education, and equity on a global scale.
Bill Gates’ work demonstrates how sustained commitment and strategic planning can address complex global challenges. By combining financial resources with long-term vision, he has helped shape initiatives that strengthen health systems, support vulnerable populations, and promote equitable development. His approach emphasizes collaboration with governments, international organizations, and communities to create scalable solutions that have lasting impact.
Beyond specific programs, Gates’ model of philanthropy illustrates the importance of leveraging expertise, evidence-based strategies, and partnerships to maximize effectiveness.