AI is rapidly transforming the way we work, and it's already taking over many of our routine and repetitive tasks, which allows people to shift their focus to more complex and meaningful projects.

However, this shift is understandably making many workers feel uneasy.

A recent report revealed that in the "worst-case scenario," up to eight million jobs in the UK could be lost to artificial intelligence. Another study found that 54% of banking jobs are vulnerable to automation by AI. Just last month, Singapore's largest bank, DBS, announced that it could cut around 4,000 jobs over the next three years as AI increasingly takes over human tasks. Still, concerns around privacy and security—especially in sensitive sectors like banking—are slowing down the widespread adoption of AI, at least for the time being.

Meanwhile, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates recently shared his perspective on the matter.

Bill Gates claims coders, biologists and energy experts are safe from AI takeover / Sean Gallup / Staff / Getty

Bill Gates expressed that while AI will likely replace humans in many jobs, he doesn't believe we are powerless in this shift. Ultimately, he explained, it is up to us to decide how we want to use AI and which tasks we choose to continue doing ourselves.

With this in mind, Gates highlighted three professions he believes will be safe from AI takeover: coders, biologists, and energy experts.

This might seem somewhat surprising or even contradictory, as other technology leaders are suggesting the opposite. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang recently cautioned young people to reconsider pursuing software development, given the rapid advancements in AI. Similarly, Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, mentioned that his company is "seriously debating" whether they will hire software engineers in 2025.

In addition, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman predicted that AI will eventually replace software engineers, suggesting that students should "master AI tools" just as previous generations mastered coding.

Software coders don't have to fear a hostile AI takeover just yet / Cravetiger / Getty

However, Gates remains optimistic about the future of human coders. He believes that while AI can now generate code and even pass certain technical benchmarks, human programmers are still crucial. According to Gates, human coders will be needed to identify errors, refine algorithms, and support the development of AI.

Gates also emphasized that biologists are not at risk of being replaced by AI, despite the technology's impressive abilities in diagnosing diseases and analyzing DNA. He argues that AI lacks the creativity and intuition needed for biological research and scientific discovery.

Moreover, Gates speculated that AI could be a valuable tool in reaching global climate goals. However, he doesn't think it will fully replace energy experts anytime soon due to the complexity of the field, which is too intricate to be completely automated.

In addition to his thoughts on AI and clean technology, Gates expressed concerns that the world may miss its 2050 climate targets. "I worry, in general, that the amount of green electricity that we need for the transition is not going to show up nearly as fast as we need," he said. "If you try to map out and say: 'Let's get to zero by 2050,' you're like: 'Another 10 or 15 years might be more realistic.' It's very hard to see. We're not going to get to zero by 2050, I don't think."