Bill Gates has pledged that the bulk of his fortune, now worth $200 billion, will be spent over the next 20 years on improving health and education in Africa.
The 69-year-old Microsoft founder said that " by unleashing human potential through health and education, every country in Africa should be on the path to prosperity ."
Speaking from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, he called on young African innovators to think about how they can harness artificial intelligence to improve healthcare on the continent.
In early May, Gates announced that he would give away 99 percent of his vast fortune by 2045, when his foundation will cease operations. “ People will say many things about me when I die, but I am confident that ‘died rich’ will not be one of them ,” he wrote on his blog.
But even if he donates 99 percent of his wealth, he will still be a billionaire.
"Africa has been largely left behind in the traditional banking system and now you have an opportunity, as you build the next generation of healthcare systems, to think about how artificial intelligence integrates into them," he said.
Gates cited Rwanda as an example, saying it is already improving its services.
The Gates Foundation, as the BBC notes, said it has three priorities: ending preventable maternal and infant deaths, ensuring the next generation grows up free from deadly infectious diseases, and lifting millions of people out of poverty.