Bill Gates: the Next Bill Gates Will Come from Asia

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, attending the annual Boao Forum for Asia, on the southern Chinese island of Hainan, not only confirmed the perspective that Asia will be the cradle for upcoming technology breakthroughs but also the birthplace of his successor. On Saturday, towards the end of his visit to China, Bill Gates reinstated Microsoft's commitment to Chinese-based research and development.

Additionally, Gates applauded Asia's contribution to existing technological advances, and opined that the trend will not only perpetuate itself but that it will also pick up. Microsoft's co-founder referenced a survey conducted in the United States that pointed to Asia as the source of the next Bill Gates, and of future technology advances. "And so, not only is Asia benefiting from the use of technology, Asia will be a major source of the breakthroughs and advances in technology," Gates said.

Microsoft also plans to increase its presence in China, particularly in the Beijing and Shanghai regions. Bill Gates revealed that the quality of the research and development in Microsoft's Chinese centers will result in inherent staff growth that will more than double the current number.

"It's great to be here in Asia where there's so much dynamic growth, so many exciting things going on.(...) If you look at one thing that really explains the dynamic growth in these Asian economies, I think we can look to education and the commitment to that is one of the key factors that has allowed things to develop as well as they have. As we think about the next ten years, the advances in technology are going to create even more opportunities, and we're going to revolutionize more activities than ever before. The technology will be lower cost as the prices constantly come down, and it will be much easier to use because instead of just working with a key board in the years ahead, the machine will be able to take ink as an input," Gates said on April 19, 2007 at the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum -- Asia 2007.