Bill Gates: Difference between revisions

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| occupation  = Businessman, philanthropist, investor, author
| occupation  = Businessman, philanthropist, investor, author
| known_for    = Co-founding Microsoft, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Giving Pledge
| known_for    = Co-founding Microsoft, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Giving Pledge
| title        = Technology adviser, Microsoft; Chairman, Gates Foundation
| children    = 3
| children    = 3
| awards      = Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016)
| awards      = Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016)
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'''William Henry Gates III''' (born October 28, 1955), known universally as '''Bill Gates''', is an American businessman, investor, philanthropist, and author who co-founded Microsoft Corporation, the world's largest personal computer software company, with his childhood friend Paul Allen in 1975. A central figure of the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s, Gates led Microsoft as its chief executive officer for twenty-five years, overseeing its transformation from a small software startup into one of the most valuable corporations in the world. Following Microsoft's initial public offering in 1986, the rapid appreciation of its stock price made Gates the world's youngest self-made billionaire in 1987, at the age of thirty-one.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bill Gates |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bill-Gates |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Forbes magazine ranked him as the world's wealthiest person for eighteen of twenty-four years between 1995 and 2017, including thirteen consecutive years from 1995 to 2007. In 1999, he became the first centibillionaire, with a net worth briefly surpassing US$100 billion. Over the past two decades, Gates has shifted his focus from the technology industry to philanthropic endeavors through the Gates Foundation (formerly the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), the world's largest private charitable organization, which has directed billions of dollars toward global health, education, and poverty alleviation. In 2025, he published the first of three planned memoirs, ''Source Code: My Beginnings''.
'''William Henry Gates III''' (born October 28, 1955), known professionally as '''Bill Gates''', is an American businessman, investor, philanthropist, and author who co-founded the software company [[Microsoft]] in 1975 with his childhood friend Paul Allen. A central figure of the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s, Gates led Microsoft as its chief executive officer for 25 years and helped transform it into one of the most valuable corporations in the world. Following Microsoft's initial public offering in 1986, Gates became the world's youngest self-made billionaire in 1987 at the age of 31, and ''Forbes'' magazine ranked him as the world's wealthiest person for 18 out of 24 years between 1995 and 2017, including a consecutive 13-year stretch from 1995 to 2007.<ref name="britannica">{{cite web |title=Bill Gates |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bill-Gates |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> In 1999, his net worth briefly exceeded US$100 billion, making him the first centibillionaire in history. Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Gates attended the private Lakeside School before enrolling at Harvard University in 1973, which he left two years later to pursue his work with Microsoft. Beyond his career in technology, Gates became one of the most prominent philanthropists in modern history through his leadership of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — the world's largest private charitable organization — and through co-founding the Giving Pledge with fellow billionaire Warren Buffett in 2010. He was named one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century by ''Time'' magazine in 1999 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.<ref name="britannica" />


== Early Life ==
== Early Life ==


William Henry Gates III was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington, into a prominent and civic-minded family.<ref name="britannica">{{cite web |title=Bill Gates |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bill-Gates |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> His father, William Henry Gates II, was a prominent Seattle attorney, and his mother, Mary Maxwell Gates, served on the board of directors of several organizations, including First Interstate BancSystem and the United Way of America.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=1994-06-11 |title=Mary Gates, 64, Helped Her Son Start Microsoft |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/11/obituaries/mary-gates-64-helped-her-son-start-microsoft.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Gates grew up in a household that valued education, competition, and community engagement, alongside his two sisters, Kristianne and Libby.
William Henry Gates III was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington, to William Henry Gates II, a prominent attorney, and Mary Maxwell Gates, a businesswoman and civic leader who served on the board of directors for several organizations, including First Interstate BancSystem and the United Way of America.<ref name="nyt-mary">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=1994-06-11 |title=Mary Gates, 64, Helped Her Son Start Microsoft |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/11/obituaries/mary-gates-64-helped-her-son-start-microsoft.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> He grew up in an upper-middle-class family alongside two sisters, Kristianne and Libby. His father was a partner at a Seattle law firm, and his mother's civic involvement exposed the young Gates to business and community affairs from an early age.<ref name="nyt-mary" />


Gates's interest in computing began at an early age. In 1968, when he was thirteen years old, he enrolled at Lakeside School, an exclusive private preparatory school in Seattle.<ref name="britannica" /> Lakeside proved to be a formative environment for the young Gates, as the school's Mothers' Club used proceeds from a rummage sale to purchase a Teletype Model 33 ASR terminal and a block of computer time on a General Electric mainframe computer for the school's students.<ref>{{cite web |title=Triumph of the Nerds, Part 2 |url=https://www.pbs.org/nerds/part2.html |publisher=PBS |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Gates became captivated by the machine and began spending much of his free time programming. It was at Lakeside that Gates befriended Paul Allen, a student two years his senior who shared his enthusiasm for computers. The two bonded over their fascination with programming and quickly began collaborating on projects together.<ref name="britannica" />
Gates attended Lakeside School, an exclusive private preparatory school in Seattle, where his interest in computing first developed.<ref name="britannica" /> Lakeside had acquired a teletype terminal connected to a General Electric mainframe computer, and Gates — then in the eighth grade — became fascinated with programming. At Lakeside, he met Paul Allen, a student two years his senior, and the two developed a shared enthusiasm for computers that would eventually lead to the founding of Microsoft.<ref name="pbs">{{cite web |title=Triumph of the Nerds: Part II |url=https://www.pbs.org/nerds/part2.html |publisher=PBS |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref><ref name="pbs-archive">{{cite web |title=Triumph of the Nerds: Part II |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813010139/http://www.pbs.org/nerds/part2.html |publisher=PBS (archived) |date=2017-08-13 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Gates and Allen, along with other Lakeside students, gained access to a PDP-10 computer owned by Computer Center Corporation (CCC). The young programmers exploited bugs in the operating system to obtain free computer time, but when CCC discovered this, the company banned the group from using the system for a period.<ref>{{cite book |title=Bill Gates: Computer Mogul and Philanthropist |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nYGcDwAAQBAJ&q=bill%20gates%20banned%20for%20summer%20pdp-10&pg=PA50 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> After the ban was lifted, Gates and his friends offered to find bugs in CCC's software in exchange for additional computer time. This arrangement gave Gates extensive hands-on experience and deepened his understanding of software systems. Gates also formed a venture called the Lakeside Programmers Group with Allen and other students, which received a commission from Information Sciences Inc. to write a payroll program and secured additional computing time for personal projects.<ref name="pbs">{{cite web |title=Triumph of the Nerds, Part 2 |url=https://www.pbs.org/nerds/part2.html |publisher=PBS |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Gates and Allen, along with other Lakeside students, spent considerable time on the school's computer terminals. The pair exploited bugs in the operating system of a Computer Center Corporation (CCC) PDP-10 computer to gain extra computer time, which led to them being banned from the system for a period during the summer.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bill Gates |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nYGcDwAAQBAJ&q=bill%20gates%20banned%20for%20summer%20pdp-10&pg=PA50 |publisher=Google Books |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Undeterred, Gates continued to develop his programming skills throughout his time at Lakeside. He and Allen formed an early venture called Traf-O-Data, which used a computer to analyze traffic data from roadway counters. These early projects honed Gates's technical abilities and entrepreneurial instincts. Gates was recognized as a National Merit Scholar during his time at Lakeside.<ref>{{cite web |title=National Merit Scholarship Program |url=https://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/interior.aspx?sid=1758&gid=2&pgid=416 |publisher=National Merit Scholarship Corporation |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
 
Gates was a National Merit Scholar, reflecting his high academic aptitude.<ref>{{cite web |title=National Merit Scholarship Program |url=https://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/interior.aspx?sid=1758&gid=2&pgid=416 |publisher=National Merit Scholarship Corporation |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


== Education ==
== Education ==


In 1973, Gates enrolled at Harvard University, one of the most selective institutions in the United States.<ref name="britannica" /> At Harvard, he pursued a broad curriculum that included advanced mathematics and graduate-level computer science courses. Among the courses he took was Math 55, a notoriously demanding freshman mathematics class. While Gates excelled academically, his primary passion remained computing, and he spent considerable time in Harvard's computer labs rather than attending classes regularly.
In the fall of 1973, Gates enrolled at Harvard University. While at Harvard, he pursued studies in mathematics and computer science, enrolling in courses that included Math 55, a notoriously challenging freshman mathematics course, as well as graduate-level computer science classes.<ref name="britannica" /> At Harvard, Gates reconnected with Paul Allen, who had moved to the Boston area. The two continued to discuss business ideas and the emerging potential of personal computing.


During his time at Harvard, Gates maintained close contact with Paul Allen, who had moved to the Boston area and was working at Honeywell. The two continued to discuss opportunities in the nascent personal computer industry. In January 1975, when the MITS Altair 8800 microcomputer appeared on the cover of ''Popular Electronics'', Gates and Allen recognized the potential of the emerging market and contacted MITS to offer a BASIC programming language interpreter for the machine.<ref name="britannica" /> The success of this endeavor convinced Gates to leave Harvard in 1975, during his junior year, to devote himself full-time to the software company he and Allen were building. He did not complete his undergraduate degree, though Harvard later awarded him an honorary degree.
In 1975, after seeing a cover story in ''Popular Electronics'' about the Altair 8800 microcomputer produced by MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems), Gates and Allen contacted the company and offered to write a BASIC interpreter for the machine. The success of this venture convinced Gates that the personal computer industry offered enormous commercial potential. He left Harvard during his sophomore year — a decision he later described as a leave of absence rather than a formal withdrawal — to co-found Microsoft with Allen.<ref name="britannica" /><ref name="pbs" /> Gates did not complete his undergraduate degree, though Harvard later awarded him an honorary degree.


== Career ==
== Career ==


=== Founding Microsoft ===
=== Founding and Early Growth of Microsoft ===


In 1975, Gates and Allen formally established Microsoft (originally styled "Micro-Soft") in Albuquerque, New Mexico, near the headquarters of MITS, the manufacturer of the Altair 8800.<ref name="britannica" /> Their initial product was a BASIC interpreter for the Altair, which they had developed in a matter of weeks. The interpreter proved successful, and Microsoft soon began developing programming language software for other personal computer platforms. Gates served as the company's chief executive and primary business strategist, while Allen focused more on the technical side of development.
Gates and Allen formally established Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1975, initially operating under the name "Micro-Soft" (a portmanteau of "microcomputer" and "software").<ref name="britannica" /> Their first product was a version of the BASIC programming language interpreter for the Altair 8800. The success of this product established Microsoft as a provider of programming language software for personal computers, and the company soon developed versions of BASIC and other languages for a range of microcomputer platforms.


From the outset, Gates demonstrated an acute business sense. He insisted on licensing Microsoft's software to hardware manufacturers rather than selling it outright, a strategy that would prove enormously profitable as the personal computer industry expanded. Gates also wrote an "Open Letter to Hobbyists" in 1976, arguing against the widespread copying of software and asserting the rights of software developers to be compensated for their work — an early and influential statement in the debate over software intellectual property.<ref name="britannica" />
The pivotal moment in Microsoft's trajectory came in 1980, when IBM approached the company to provide an operating system for its upcoming personal computer, the IBM PC. Gates and Allen acquired an operating system called QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System), adapted it, and licensed it to IBM as MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System). Crucially, the licensing agreement allowed Microsoft to retain the rights to license MS-DOS to other hardware manufacturers, a decision that proved enormously consequential as IBM-compatible PCs proliferated throughout the 1980s.<ref name="britannica" />


=== The IBM Partnership and Rise to Dominance ===
When Microsoft was incorporated in 1981, Gates became its president and chairman of the board, in addition to serving as chief executive officer.<ref name="britannica" /> Under his leadership, Microsoft expanded its software offerings to include word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation applications. The company's development of the Windows operating system, which provided a graphical user interface layer on top of MS-DOS, began in the mid-1980s. Windows eventually became the dominant operating system for personal computers worldwide.


Microsoft's breakthrough came in 1980, when International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) approached the company about providing an operating system for its upcoming personal computer. Gates and Allen acquired an operating system called QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System) from Seattle Computer Products, adapted it for the IBM PC, and licensed it to IBM as MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System). Crucially, the agreement allowed Microsoft to license MS-DOS to other manufacturers as well, a provision that would become the foundation of the company's dominance as the IBM PC architecture became the industry standard and numerous "clone" manufacturers entered the market.<ref name="britannica" />
=== Microsoft's Rise to Dominance ===


When Microsoft was incorporated in 1981, Gates became its president and chairman of the board in addition to serving as CEO.<ref name="britannica" /> Throughout the 1980s, he drove the company's expansion into new software categories, including word processing and spreadsheet applications. Microsoft's most transformative product of this era was Windows, a graphical operating system first released in 1985 that eventually supplanted MS-DOS. Successive versions of Windows became the dominant operating system for personal computers worldwide, generating enormous revenue and solidifying Microsoft's position as the preeminent software company.
Microsoft went public on March 13, 1986, with an initial public offering that valued the company at approximately $520 million. The subsequent rise in the stock price made Gates a billionaire by 1987, at age 31, making him the youngest self-made billionaire in history at the time.<ref name="britannica" />


=== Microsoft's IPO and Global Expansion ===
Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, Gates oversaw Microsoft's expansion into numerous areas of the software industry. The release of Windows 3.0 in 1990 brought widespread commercial success to the graphical user interface, and subsequent versions — including Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT — consolidated Microsoft's position as the dominant provider of operating systems for personal computers. The company's Office suite of productivity applications, which bundled programs such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, became a standard in business and educational settings.


Microsoft's initial public offering took place on March 13, 1986, at a price of $21 per share. The offering raised $61 million for the company and, as the stock price climbed in subsequent years, made Gates extraordinarily wealthy. By 1987, at the age of thirty-one, the rising stock price made him the youngest self-made billionaire in history at that time.<ref name="britannica" /> The rapid growth of the personal computer market in the late 1980s and 1990s, combined with the near-ubiquity of Windows and the Microsoft Office suite of productivity applications, drove continued increases in the company's valuation.
Gates's leadership style during this period was characterized by his technical acumen and competitive intensity. He was known for conducting detailed product reviews and challenging his engineers and executives. Under his direction, Microsoft also entered the internet market with its Internet Explorer web browser, leading to a period of intense competition with Netscape Communications — an episode that became known as the "browser wars."


During the 1990s, Gates led Microsoft into the internet era, albeit after initially underestimating the significance of the World Wide Web. He pivoted the company's strategy with a 1995 memo titled "The Internet Tidal Wave," which reoriented Microsoft toward internet-connected software and led to the development of Internet Explorer, the company's web browser. This period also saw the launch of Windows 95, one of the most commercially successful software products in history. Forbes magazine first ranked Gates as the world's wealthiest person in 1995, a distinction he would hold for thirteen consecutive years through 2007.<ref name="britannica" />
Microsoft's market dominance attracted the attention of antitrust regulators. The United States Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft in 1998, alleging that the company had engaged in monopolistic practices, particularly in bundling Internet Explorer with the Windows operating system. The case went to trial, and Gates provided a videotaped deposition that drew significant media coverage. In 2001, Microsoft reached a settlement with the Department of Justice, though the case had lasting implications for the company's business practices and public image.<ref name="britannica" />


=== Antitrust Challenges ===
=== Transition From CEO ===


Microsoft's dominant market position attracted regulatory scrutiny. In 1998, the United States Department of Justice and twenty state attorneys general filed an antitrust lawsuit against the company, alleging that it had engaged in anti-competitive practices, particularly in bundling Internet Explorer with Windows to disadvantage rival browsers such as Netscape Navigator. In 2000, a federal judge ruled that Microsoft had violated antitrust laws and ordered the company to be broken into two separate units. The ruling was later partially overturned on appeal, and Microsoft reached a settlement with the government in 2001.<ref name="britannica" /> The antitrust case was a defining event in both Microsoft's corporate history and the broader technology industry, and it drew significant public attention to Gates's leadership style and business practices.
In January 2000, Gates stepped down as chief executive officer of Microsoft, handing the role to Steve Ballmer, a college friend from Harvard who had joined the company in 1980. Gates assumed the newly created position of chief software architect, which allowed him to focus on the company's product strategy and technology development while gradually reducing his day-to-day management responsibilities.<ref name="britannica" />


=== Transition from Microsoft Leadership ===
Gates served as chief software architect until June 2008, when he transitioned to a part-time role at Microsoft to devote more of his time to his philanthropic work. He stepped down as chairman of the board on February 4, 2014, and was named technology adviser to CEO Satya Nadella.<ref name="verge">{{cite news |date=2014-02-04 |title=Bill Gates steps down as Microsoft chairman, named 'technology adviser' |url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/4/5377226/bill-gates-steps-down-microsoft-chairman-named-tech-advisor |work=The Verge |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Bill Gates steps down as Microsoft chairman, named 'technology adviser' |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204224246/http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/4/5377226/bill-gates-steps-down-microsoft-chairman-named-tech-advisor |publisher=The Verge (archived) |date=2014-02-04 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> In March 2020, Gates resigned from the Microsoft board of directors entirely, though he continued in his advisory capacity.<ref name="britannica" />


In January 2000, Gates stepped down as CEO of Microsoft, handing the role to Steve Ballmer, a close friend and Harvard classmate who had been one of the company's earliest employees. Gates assumed the new title of chief software architect, a role in which he remained involved in the development of key products and technologies.<ref name="britannica" /> He held this position until 2008.
A notable element of Gates's relationship with Microsoft in recent years involves the company's investment in artificial intelligence. According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Gates initially expressed skepticism about Microsoft's billion-dollar investment in OpenAI, reportedly telling Nadella, "Yeah, you're going to burn this billion dollars." Despite this initial doubt, the investment proceeded and has since become a central part of Microsoft's strategy.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-22 |title=Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says Bill Gates told him his big bet on OpenAI would be a flop |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-says-160512018.html |work=Yahoo Finance |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


In February 2014, Gates stepped down as chairman of Microsoft's board of directors and took on a new role as technology adviser to Satya Nadella, who had succeeded Ballmer as CEO.<ref>{{cite news |date=2014-02-04 |title=Bill Gates steps down as Microsoft chairman, will serve as 'technology adviser' |url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/4/5377226/bill-gates-steps-down-microsoft-chairman-named-tech-advisor |work=The Verge |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> In March 2020, Gates resigned from Microsoft's board of directors entirely, though he continued to serve as a technology adviser. His gradual withdrawal from the company he co-founded reflected his increasing commitment to philanthropic work and other ventures.
=== Other Business Ventures ===


In a 2026 account, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recounted that Gates had initially been skeptical of the company's large investment in OpenAI, the artificial intelligence research laboratory. According to Nadella, Gates told him, "Yeah, you're going to burn this billion dollars," though Microsoft proceeded with the investment, which proved highly consequential for the company's position in the artificial intelligence industry.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-22 |title=Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says Bill Gates told him his big bet on OpenAI would be a flop: 'Yeah, you're going to burn this billion dollars' |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-says-160512018.html |work=Yahoo Finance |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Beyond Microsoft, Gates has been involved in a number of other business and investment ventures. He is the founder and chairman of Cascade Investment, a holding company through which he manages a diversified portfolio of investments. He is also the founder of TerraPower, a nuclear energy company focused on developing advanced reactor technology. In 2026, TerraPower's efforts drew attention for plans to build an advanced nuclear reactor — described as an "artificial sun" — at the site of a former coal plant in the United States, with the aim of providing clean energy as a replacement for fossil fuels.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-24 |title=Bill Gates is building an 'artificial sun' that could replace coal in the US |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/bill-gates-is-building-an-artificial-sun-that-could-replace-coal-in-the-us/articleshow/128712138.cms |work=The Times of India |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


=== Other Business Ventures ===
Gates is also the founder of Breakthrough Energy, an organization that invests in and supports companies developing clean energy technologies. Additionally, he chairs BEN (Branded Entertainment Network) and Gates Ventures, a private office through which he pursues various initiatives in global health, education, and energy innovation.<ref name="britannica" />


Beyond Microsoft, Gates founded and chaired several other companies and investment vehicles. Cascade Investment, a private holding company, manages the bulk of Gates's diversified investment portfolio, which spans real estate, energy, hospitality, and other sectors. Gates also founded TerraPower, a nuclear energy company focused on developing next-generation nuclear reactor technology. As of 2026, TerraPower was constructing an advanced nuclear facility at the site of a retired coal plant, a project described in media reports as an effort to build an "artificial sun" that could serve as a replacement for coal-fired power generation in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-24 |title=Bill Gates is building an 'artificial sun' that could replace coal in the US |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/bill-gates-is-building-an-artificial-sun-that-could-replace-coal-in-the-us/articleshow/128712138.cms |work=The Times of India |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
== Philanthropy ==


Gates is also the founder of Breakthrough Energy, an initiative that invests in and supports the development of clean energy technologies, and Gates Ventures, his private office through which he pursues various projects and investments. He additionally founded BEN (Branded Entertainment Network), a company focused on digital advertising and product placement.
=== Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ===


== Personal Life ==
Gates's philanthropic career has been one of the defining aspects of his public life. In 2000, he and his then-wife Melinda French Gates established the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which grew to become the world's largest private charitable organization. The foundation has focused on several key areas, including global health, education, and poverty alleviation.<ref name="britannica" />


Gates married Melinda French on January 1, 1994, in Lanai, Hawaii. The couple has three children, including their youngest daughter, Phoebe Gates.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2026-02-21 |title='I have a chip on my shoulder.' Phoebe Gates wants her $185 million AI startup Phia to succeed with 'no ties to my privilege or my last name' |url=https://fortune.com/2026/02/21/phoebe-gates-startup-phia-succeed-without-help-parents-bill-gates-melinda-french-gates/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
In the field of global health, the foundation has committed billions of dollars to combating transmissible diseases, with particular emphasis on tuberculosis, malaria, and polio. The foundation has funded vaccination programs, supported research into new treatments and prevention methods, and worked with governments and international organizations to strengthen health systems in developing countries. Gates's efforts in this area have drawn both praise for their scale and impact, as well as scrutiny regarding the influence of private philanthropic organizations on public health policy.


In May 2021, Bill and Melinda Gates announced their divorce after twenty-seven years of marriage. The divorce was finalized in August 2021. Following the separation, Melinda French Gates continued to co-chair the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation until 2024, when she resigned from the role. The foundation was subsequently renamed the Gates Foundation, with Gates serving as its sole chair.
The foundation's education initiatives have included investments in K-12 education reform in the United States, including support for charter schools and the development of new curriculum standards. Internationally, the foundation has funded programs aimed at improving access to education in developing countries.


Gates's primary residence is a large estate known as Xanadu 2.0, located in Medina, Washington, on the shores of Lake Washington. The property, which took seven years to build and was completed in 1997, is noted for its high-technology features and its estimated value of over $100 million. In February 2026, a neighboring property described as a "buffer home" adjacent to the Xanadu 2.0 estate was listed for $4.8 million and went under contract within six days, though the buyer's identity was not publicly disclosed.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-20 |title=Bill Gates' Medina Buffer Home Snapped Up in Six Days |url=https://hoodline.com/2026/02/bill-gates-medina-buffer-home-snapped-up-in-six-days/ |work=Hoodline |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Following the divorce of Gates and French Gates, which was finalized in 2021, Melinda French Gates resigned as co-chair of the foundation in 2024. The organization was subsequently renamed the Gates Foundation, with Gates serving as its sole chair.<ref name="britannica" />


Gates has spoken publicly about limiting his own children's access to technology. He has been cited among several prominent technology industry figures who have imposed strict screen-time limits on their children, despite having built their wealth through the very technology products they restrict.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-21 |title=Peter Thiel and other tech billionaires are publicly shielding their children from the products that made them rich |url=https://fortune.com/2026/02/21/peter-thiel-bill-gates-steve-jobs-steve-chen-tech-billionaires-publicly-shielding-their-children-from-tech-products-social-media/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
=== The Giving Pledge ===


== Philanthropy ==
In 2010, Gates and fellow billionaire Warren Buffett launched the Giving Pledge, an initiative that invites the world's wealthiest individuals and families to commit to giving more than half of their wealth to philanthropic causes, either during their lifetimes or in their wills. The pledge has attracted signatories from numerous countries and has become one of the most prominent philanthropic initiatives in history.<ref name="britannica" />


=== Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ===
== Personal Life ==
 
In 2000, Gates and his then-wife Melinda established the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which became the world's largest private charitable organization. The foundation focuses on several core areas, including global health, education, and poverty alleviation.<ref name="britannica" /> Gates became particularly known for his efforts to combat transmissible diseases in the developing world, directing significant resources toward fighting tuberculosis, malaria, and polio. The foundation's global health programs have contributed to vaccination campaigns, the development of new medical technologies, and efforts to strengthen health systems in low-income countries.


In addition to health, the foundation has invested heavily in education reform in the United States and in agricultural development in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The foundation's endowment has grown to be one of the largest in the world, and its annual grant-making has exceeded that of many national governments' foreign aid budgets.
Gates married Melinda French on January 1, 1994, in Lanai, Hawaii. The couple had three children together, including their youngest daughter, Phoebe Gates, who in 2026 was reported to be leading an artificial intelligence startup called Phia, which she described as an endeavor she sought to build independently from her family's prominence.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-21 |title='I have a chip on my shoulder.' Phoebe Gates wants her $185 million AI startup Phia to succeed with 'no ties to my privilege or my last name' |url=https://fortune.com/2026/02/21/phoebe-gates-startup-phia-succeed-without-help-parents-bill-gates-melinda-french-gates/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Following the divorce of Bill and Melinda Gates, Melinda French Gates resigned as co-chair of the foundation in 2024. The organization was renamed the Gates Foundation, and Gates assumed the role of sole chair.<ref name="britannica" />
In May 2021, Bill and Melinda Gates announced their divorce after 27 years of marriage. The divorce was finalized later that year. The dissolution of their marriage attracted significant media attention, particularly in relation to reports about Gates's prior association with financier Jeffrey Epstein.<ref name="britannica" />


=== The Giving Pledge ===
Gates has maintained his primary residence at a large estate known as "Xanadu 2.0" in Medina, Washington, a suburb of Seattle. In February 2026, a neighboring four-bedroom home adjacent to the estate was listed at $4.8 million and went under contract within six days, though the buyer's identity was not disclosed.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-20 |title=Bill Gates' Medina Buffer Home Snapped Up in Six Days |url=https://hoodline.com/2026/02/bill-gates-medina-buffer-home-snapped-up-in-six-days/ |work=Hoodline |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


In 2010, Gates and his close friend Warren Buffett, the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, launched the Giving Pledge, a commitment by the world's wealthiest individuals and families to donate the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes, either during their lifetimes or in their wills. The initiative has attracted pledges from hundreds of billionaires around the world. Gates has repeatedly stated his intention to give away virtually all of his wealth, and he has donated tens of billions of dollars to the Gates Foundation and other charitable causes over the course of his career.<ref name="britannica" />
Gates has spoken publicly about limiting his own children's use of technology. He is among a group of technology industry figures who have imposed strict screen-time limits on their children, even as their businesses profit from the widespread use of digital products.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-21 |title=Peter Thiel and other tech billionaires are publicly shielding their children from the products that made them rich |url=https://fortune.com/2026/02/21/peter-thiel-bill-gates-steve-jobs-steve-chen-tech-billionaires-publicly-shielding-their-children-from-tech-products-social-media/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


== Recognition ==
== Recognition ==


Gates has received numerous awards and honors for both his contributions to the technology industry and his philanthropic work. ''Time'' magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century in 1999.<ref name="britannica" /> He has appeared on ''Time'''s list of the most influential people of the year on multiple occasions.
Gates has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. ''Time'' magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century in 1999, and he has appeared on the magazine's list of the most influential people of the year on multiple occasions.<ref name="britannica" />


In 2016, Gates and Melinda French Gates were jointly awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in recognition of their philanthropic contributions, particularly in the areas of global health and education.<ref name="britannica" /> The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian honor in the United States.
In 2016, Gates and Melinda French Gates were jointly awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in recognition of their philanthropic contributions, particularly in the fields of global health and education.<ref name="britannica" />


Gates has been the subject of several documentary films and books examining his career and philanthropic endeavors. In 2019, the Netflix documentary series ''Inside Bill's Brain: Decoding Bill Gates'' provided an in-depth look at his post-Microsoft career and the work of the Gates Foundation.
''Forbes'' magazine has consistently ranked Gates among the wealthiest individuals in the world. He held the top position on the ''Forbes'' list of the world's wealthiest people for 18 out of 24 years between 1995 and 2017. As of February 2026, his net worth was estimated at approximately US$107.7 billion, placing him as the 18th-wealthiest individual globally.<ref name="britannica" />


In 2025, Gates published ''Source Code: My Beginnings'', the first volume of a planned three-part memoir series. The book covers his early life, his experiences at Lakeside School and Harvard, and the founding of Microsoft.<ref name="britannica" />
Gates has been the subject of several documentary films, including the Netflix docuseries ''Inside Bill's Brain: Decoding Bill Gates'' (2019), which examined his philanthropic work and problem-solving approach. In 2025, he published ''Source Code: My Beginnings'', the first volume of a planned three-part memoir series.<ref name="britannica" />
 
Gates has been consistently ranked among the world's wealthiest individuals by Forbes and Bloomberg. Forbes ranked him as the world's wealthiest person for eighteen of twenty-four years between 1995 and 2017. As of February 2026, Forbes estimated his net worth at approximately US$107.7 billion, making him the eighteenth-wealthiest individual in the world.<ref name="britannica" />


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==


Gates's impact on the technology industry and on global philanthropy has been substantial and far-reaching. As the co-founder and long-time leader of Microsoft, he played a central role in establishing the personal computer as a ubiquitous tool in homes, schools, and offices around the world. The Windows operating system and Microsoft Office suite became foundational products of the digital age, shaping how billions of people interact with technology. Microsoft's business model — licensing software to hardware manufacturers — became a template for the software industry and generated immense wealth for Gates, his co-founder, and the company's employees and shareholders.
Gates's influence on the technology industry and on global philanthropy has been substantial. As co-founder of Microsoft, he played a central role in establishing the personal computer as a ubiquitous tool in business, education, and daily life. Microsoft's Windows operating system and Office suite of productivity applications became integral to computing worldwide, and the company's business model — licensing software to hardware manufacturers rather than building its own hardware — established a paradigm that shaped the software industry for decades.
 
Gates's transition from technology executive to philanthropist in the early 2000s marked a second phase of his public life. Through the Gates Foundation, he directed billions of dollars toward global health challenges, contributing to efforts that have saved millions of lives according to public health researchers. His focus on diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and polio, as well as his investments in vaccine development and distribution, have made the Gates Foundation one of the most consequential actors in international public health.


The Giving Pledge, co-founded with Warren Buffett, has influenced the broader culture of billionaire philanthropy, encouraging some of the world's wealthiest people to commit to giving away significant portions of their fortunes. Gates's advocacy for evidence-based approaches to philanthropy has also shaped how large-scale charitable organizations measure and evaluate the impact of their work.
His transition from technology executive to philanthropist marked a significant shift in the expectations surrounding extreme wealth. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's large-scale investments in global health — particularly in vaccination programs and the fight against diseases such as malaria and polio — have influenced how philanthropic organizations approach public health challenges in the developing world. The Giving Pledge, co-founded with Warren Buffett, has helped normalize the concept of major wealth transfer to charitable causes among the ultra-wealthy.


Gates's investments in clean energy through Breakthrough Energy and TerraPower reflect his interest in addressing climate change through technological innovation. TerraPower's advanced nuclear reactor projects represent an attempt to develop new forms of carbon-free energy generation that could replace fossil fuel power plants.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-24 |title=Bill Gates is building an 'artificial sun' that could replace coal in the US |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/bill-gates-is-building-an-artificial-sun-that-could-replace-coal-in-the-us/articleshow/128712138.cms |work=The Times of India |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Gates has also been a prominent voice on issues related to climate change and clean energy, investing in nuclear energy through TerraPower and in a range of clean energy technologies through Breakthrough Energy. His advocacy for preparedness against global pandemics, expressed in a widely viewed 2015 TED Talk and in subsequent public statements, drew renewed attention during the COVID-19 pandemic.


As both a technology pioneer and a philanthropist, Gates remains one of the most prominent and scrutinized public figures of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.
The assessment of Gates's legacy remains a subject of ongoing discussion. His contributions to technology and philanthropy have been widely recognized, while his business practices at Microsoft — particularly during the antitrust disputes of the late 1990s — and aspects of his personal life have also drawn scrutiny. As of 2026, Gates continues to be active in both his philanthropic and business endeavors, maintaining his role as technology adviser at Microsoft and as chair of the Gates Foundation.<ref name="britannica" /><ref name="verge" />


== References ==
== References ==
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Latest revision as of 06:59, 24 February 2026


Bill Gates
BornWilliam Henry Gates III
28 10, 1955
BirthplaceSeattle, Washington, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationBusinessman, philanthropist, investor, author
Known forCo-founding Microsoft, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Giving Pledge
EducationHarvard University (dropped out)
Children3
AwardsPresidential Medal of Freedom (2016)
Website[https://www.gatesnotes.com/ Official site]

William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955), known professionally as Bill Gates, is an American businessman, investor, philanthropist, and author who co-founded the software company Microsoft in 1975 with his childhood friend Paul Allen. A central figure of the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s, Gates led Microsoft as its chief executive officer for 25 years and helped transform it into one of the most valuable corporations in the world. Following Microsoft's initial public offering in 1986, Gates became the world's youngest self-made billionaire in 1987 at the age of 31, and Forbes magazine ranked him as the world's wealthiest person for 18 out of 24 years between 1995 and 2017, including a consecutive 13-year stretch from 1995 to 2007.[1] In 1999, his net worth briefly exceeded US$100 billion, making him the first centibillionaire in history. Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Gates attended the private Lakeside School before enrolling at Harvard University in 1973, which he left two years later to pursue his work with Microsoft. Beyond his career in technology, Gates became one of the most prominent philanthropists in modern history through his leadership of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — the world's largest private charitable organization — and through co-founding the Giving Pledge with fellow billionaire Warren Buffett in 2010. He was named one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century by Time magazine in 1999 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.[1]

Early Life

William Henry Gates III was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington, to William Henry Gates II, a prominent attorney, and Mary Maxwell Gates, a businesswoman and civic leader who served on the board of directors for several organizations, including First Interstate BancSystem and the United Way of America.[2] He grew up in an upper-middle-class family alongside two sisters, Kristianne and Libby. His father was a partner at a Seattle law firm, and his mother's civic involvement exposed the young Gates to business and community affairs from an early age.[2]

Gates attended Lakeside School, an exclusive private preparatory school in Seattle, where his interest in computing first developed.[1] Lakeside had acquired a teletype terminal connected to a General Electric mainframe computer, and Gates — then in the eighth grade — became fascinated with programming. At Lakeside, he met Paul Allen, a student two years his senior, and the two developed a shared enthusiasm for computers that would eventually lead to the founding of Microsoft.[3][4]

Gates and Allen, along with other Lakeside students, spent considerable time on the school's computer terminals. The pair exploited bugs in the operating system of a Computer Center Corporation (CCC) PDP-10 computer to gain extra computer time, which led to them being banned from the system for a period during the summer.[5] Undeterred, Gates continued to develop his programming skills throughout his time at Lakeside. He and Allen formed an early venture called Traf-O-Data, which used a computer to analyze traffic data from roadway counters. These early projects honed Gates's technical abilities and entrepreneurial instincts. Gates was recognized as a National Merit Scholar during his time at Lakeside.[6]

Education

In the fall of 1973, Gates enrolled at Harvard University. While at Harvard, he pursued studies in mathematics and computer science, enrolling in courses that included Math 55, a notoriously challenging freshman mathematics course, as well as graduate-level computer science classes.[1] At Harvard, Gates reconnected with Paul Allen, who had moved to the Boston area. The two continued to discuss business ideas and the emerging potential of personal computing.

In 1975, after seeing a cover story in Popular Electronics about the Altair 8800 microcomputer produced by MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems), Gates and Allen contacted the company and offered to write a BASIC interpreter for the machine. The success of this venture convinced Gates that the personal computer industry offered enormous commercial potential. He left Harvard during his sophomore year — a decision he later described as a leave of absence rather than a formal withdrawal — to co-found Microsoft with Allen.[1][3] Gates did not complete his undergraduate degree, though Harvard later awarded him an honorary degree.

Career

Founding and Early Growth of Microsoft

Gates and Allen formally established Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1975, initially operating under the name "Micro-Soft" (a portmanteau of "microcomputer" and "software").[1] Their first product was a version of the BASIC programming language interpreter for the Altair 8800. The success of this product established Microsoft as a provider of programming language software for personal computers, and the company soon developed versions of BASIC and other languages for a range of microcomputer platforms.

The pivotal moment in Microsoft's trajectory came in 1980, when IBM approached the company to provide an operating system for its upcoming personal computer, the IBM PC. Gates and Allen acquired an operating system called QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System), adapted it, and licensed it to IBM as MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System). Crucially, the licensing agreement allowed Microsoft to retain the rights to license MS-DOS to other hardware manufacturers, a decision that proved enormously consequential as IBM-compatible PCs proliferated throughout the 1980s.[1]

When Microsoft was incorporated in 1981, Gates became its president and chairman of the board, in addition to serving as chief executive officer.[1] Under his leadership, Microsoft expanded its software offerings to include word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation applications. The company's development of the Windows operating system, which provided a graphical user interface layer on top of MS-DOS, began in the mid-1980s. Windows eventually became the dominant operating system for personal computers worldwide.

Microsoft's Rise to Dominance

Microsoft went public on March 13, 1986, with an initial public offering that valued the company at approximately $520 million. The subsequent rise in the stock price made Gates a billionaire by 1987, at age 31, making him the youngest self-made billionaire in history at the time.[1]

Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, Gates oversaw Microsoft's expansion into numerous areas of the software industry. The release of Windows 3.0 in 1990 brought widespread commercial success to the graphical user interface, and subsequent versions — including Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT — consolidated Microsoft's position as the dominant provider of operating systems for personal computers. The company's Office suite of productivity applications, which bundled programs such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, became a standard in business and educational settings.

Gates's leadership style during this period was characterized by his technical acumen and competitive intensity. He was known for conducting detailed product reviews and challenging his engineers and executives. Under his direction, Microsoft also entered the internet market with its Internet Explorer web browser, leading to a period of intense competition with Netscape Communications — an episode that became known as the "browser wars."

Microsoft's market dominance attracted the attention of antitrust regulators. The United States Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft in 1998, alleging that the company had engaged in monopolistic practices, particularly in bundling Internet Explorer with the Windows operating system. The case went to trial, and Gates provided a videotaped deposition that drew significant media coverage. In 2001, Microsoft reached a settlement with the Department of Justice, though the case had lasting implications for the company's business practices and public image.[1]

Transition From CEO

In January 2000, Gates stepped down as chief executive officer of Microsoft, handing the role to Steve Ballmer, a college friend from Harvard who had joined the company in 1980. Gates assumed the newly created position of chief software architect, which allowed him to focus on the company's product strategy and technology development while gradually reducing his day-to-day management responsibilities.[1]

Gates served as chief software architect until June 2008, when he transitioned to a part-time role at Microsoft to devote more of his time to his philanthropic work. He stepped down as chairman of the board on February 4, 2014, and was named technology adviser to CEO Satya Nadella.[7][8] In March 2020, Gates resigned from the Microsoft board of directors entirely, though he continued in his advisory capacity.[1]

A notable element of Gates's relationship with Microsoft in recent years involves the company's investment in artificial intelligence. According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Gates initially expressed skepticism about Microsoft's billion-dollar investment in OpenAI, reportedly telling Nadella, "Yeah, you're going to burn this billion dollars." Despite this initial doubt, the investment proceeded and has since become a central part of Microsoft's strategy.[9]

Other Business Ventures

Beyond Microsoft, Gates has been involved in a number of other business and investment ventures. He is the founder and chairman of Cascade Investment, a holding company through which he manages a diversified portfolio of investments. He is also the founder of TerraPower, a nuclear energy company focused on developing advanced reactor technology. In 2026, TerraPower's efforts drew attention for plans to build an advanced nuclear reactor — described as an "artificial sun" — at the site of a former coal plant in the United States, with the aim of providing clean energy as a replacement for fossil fuels.[10]

Gates is also the founder of Breakthrough Energy, an organization that invests in and supports companies developing clean energy technologies. Additionally, he chairs BEN (Branded Entertainment Network) and Gates Ventures, a private office through which he pursues various initiatives in global health, education, and energy innovation.[1]

Philanthropy

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Gates's philanthropic career has been one of the defining aspects of his public life. In 2000, he and his then-wife Melinda French Gates established the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which grew to become the world's largest private charitable organization. The foundation has focused on several key areas, including global health, education, and poverty alleviation.[1]

In the field of global health, the foundation has committed billions of dollars to combating transmissible diseases, with particular emphasis on tuberculosis, malaria, and polio. The foundation has funded vaccination programs, supported research into new treatments and prevention methods, and worked with governments and international organizations to strengthen health systems in developing countries. Gates's efforts in this area have drawn both praise for their scale and impact, as well as scrutiny regarding the influence of private philanthropic organizations on public health policy.

The foundation's education initiatives have included investments in K-12 education reform in the United States, including support for charter schools and the development of new curriculum standards. Internationally, the foundation has funded programs aimed at improving access to education in developing countries.

Following the divorce of Gates and French Gates, which was finalized in 2021, Melinda French Gates resigned as co-chair of the foundation in 2024. The organization was subsequently renamed the Gates Foundation, with Gates serving as its sole chair.[1]

The Giving Pledge

In 2010, Gates and fellow billionaire Warren Buffett launched the Giving Pledge, an initiative that invites the world's wealthiest individuals and families to commit to giving more than half of their wealth to philanthropic causes, either during their lifetimes or in their wills. The pledge has attracted signatories from numerous countries and has become one of the most prominent philanthropic initiatives in history.[1]

Personal Life

Gates married Melinda French on January 1, 1994, in Lanai, Hawaii. The couple had three children together, including their youngest daughter, Phoebe Gates, who in 2026 was reported to be leading an artificial intelligence startup called Phia, which she described as an endeavor she sought to build independently from her family's prominence.[11]

In May 2021, Bill and Melinda Gates announced their divorce after 27 years of marriage. The divorce was finalized later that year. The dissolution of their marriage attracted significant media attention, particularly in relation to reports about Gates's prior association with financier Jeffrey Epstein.[1]

Gates has maintained his primary residence at a large estate known as "Xanadu 2.0" in Medina, Washington, a suburb of Seattle. In February 2026, a neighboring four-bedroom home adjacent to the estate was listed at $4.8 million and went under contract within six days, though the buyer's identity was not disclosed.[12]

Gates has spoken publicly about limiting his own children's use of technology. He is among a group of technology industry figures who have imposed strict screen-time limits on their children, even as their businesses profit from the widespread use of digital products.[13]

Recognition

Gates has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century in 1999, and he has appeared on the magazine's list of the most influential people of the year on multiple occasions.[1]

In 2016, Gates and Melinda French Gates were jointly awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in recognition of their philanthropic contributions, particularly in the fields of global health and education.[1]

Forbes magazine has consistently ranked Gates among the wealthiest individuals in the world. He held the top position on the Forbes list of the world's wealthiest people for 18 out of 24 years between 1995 and 2017. As of February 2026, his net worth was estimated at approximately US$107.7 billion, placing him as the 18th-wealthiest individual globally.[1]

Gates has been the subject of several documentary films, including the Netflix docuseries Inside Bill's Brain: Decoding Bill Gates (2019), which examined his philanthropic work and problem-solving approach. In 2025, he published Source Code: My Beginnings, the first volume of a planned three-part memoir series.[1]

Legacy

Gates's influence on the technology industry and on global philanthropy has been substantial. As co-founder of Microsoft, he played a central role in establishing the personal computer as a ubiquitous tool in business, education, and daily life. Microsoft's Windows operating system and Office suite of productivity applications became integral to computing worldwide, and the company's business model — licensing software to hardware manufacturers rather than building its own hardware — established a paradigm that shaped the software industry for decades.

His transition from technology executive to philanthropist marked a significant shift in the expectations surrounding extreme wealth. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's large-scale investments in global health — particularly in vaccination programs and the fight against diseases such as malaria and polio — have influenced how philanthropic organizations approach public health challenges in the developing world. The Giving Pledge, co-founded with Warren Buffett, has helped normalize the concept of major wealth transfer to charitable causes among the ultra-wealthy.

Gates has also been a prominent voice on issues related to climate change and clean energy, investing in nuclear energy through TerraPower and in a range of clean energy technologies through Breakthrough Energy. His advocacy for preparedness against global pandemics, expressed in a widely viewed 2015 TED Talk and in subsequent public statements, drew renewed attention during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The assessment of Gates's legacy remains a subject of ongoing discussion. His contributions to technology and philanthropy have been widely recognized, while his business practices at Microsoft — particularly during the antitrust disputes of the late 1990s — and aspects of his personal life have also drawn scrutiny. As of 2026, Gates continues to be active in both his philanthropic and business endeavors, maintaining his role as technology adviser at Microsoft and as chair of the Gates Foundation.[1][7]

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 "Bill Gates".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bill-Gates.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Mary Gates, 64, Helped Her Son Start Microsoft".The New York Times.1994-06-11.https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/11/obituaries/mary-gates-64-helped-her-son-start-microsoft.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Triumph of the Nerds: Part II".PBS.https://www.pbs.org/nerds/part2.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ↑ "Triumph of the Nerds: Part II".PBS (archived).2017-08-13.https://web.archive.org/web/20170813010139/http://www.pbs.org/nerds/part2.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  5. ↑ "Bill Gates".Google Books.https://books.google.com/books?id=nYGcDwAAQBAJ&q=bill%20gates%20banned%20for%20summer%20pdp-10&pg=PA50.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ "National Merit Scholarship Program".National Merit Scholarship Corporation.https://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/interior.aspx?sid=1758&gid=2&pgid=416.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Bill Gates steps down as Microsoft chairman, named 'technology adviser'".The Verge.2014-02-04.https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/4/5377226/bill-gates-steps-down-microsoft-chairman-named-tech-advisor.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ "Bill Gates steps down as Microsoft chairman, named 'technology adviser'".The Verge (archived).2014-02-04.https://web.archive.org/web/20140204224246/http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/4/5377226/bill-gates-steps-down-microsoft-chairman-named-tech-advisor.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ↑ "Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says Bill Gates told him his big bet on OpenAI would be a flop".Yahoo Finance.2026-02-22.https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-says-160512018.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ↑ "Bill Gates is building an 'artificial sun' that could replace coal in the US".The Times of India.2026-02-24.https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/bill-gates-is-building-an-artificial-sun-that-could-replace-coal-in-the-us/articleshow/128712138.cms.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ↑ "'I have a chip on my shoulder.' Phoebe Gates wants her $185 million AI startup Phia to succeed with 'no ties to my privilege or my last name'".Fortune.2026-02-21.https://fortune.com/2026/02/21/phoebe-gates-startup-phia-succeed-without-help-parents-bill-gates-melinda-french-gates/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ↑ "Bill Gates' Medina Buffer Home Snapped Up in Six Days".Hoodline.2026-02-20.https://hoodline.com/2026/02/bill-gates-medina-buffer-home-snapped-up-in-six-days/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  13. ↑ "Peter Thiel and other tech billionaires are publicly shielding their children from the products that made them rich".Fortune.2026-02-21.https://fortune.com/2026/02/21/peter-thiel-bill-gates-steve-jobs-steve-chen-tech-billionaires-publicly-shielding-their-children-from-tech-products-social-media/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.

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