--- title: "Bill Gates Says Sorry the World Isn’t Going So Great" description: "Billionaire Bill Gates is sad about the world's current state of affairs — so he says he's donating virtually all of his personal wealth in order to fix it." date: "2022-07-17" modified: "2022-07-17" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/bill-gates-sorry-world-isnt-great" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "Bill Gates" - "billionaires" - "climate change" - "the digest" --- # Bill Gates Says Sorry the World Isn’t Going So Great ![Billionaire Bill Gates is sad about the world's current state of affairs — so he says he's donating virtually all of his personal wealth in order to fix it.]() *\Image: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images\* ## Blue Bill If you're upset about the current state of world affairs, you're not alone. Billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates is also bummed, and in a series of [depressing tweets](), the philanthropist reminded us why. "The pandemic is one of the biggest setbacks in history," he [gloomily mused](). "The war on Ukraine is a gigantic tragedy for the entire world. The damage from climate change is already worse than most models predicted. The U.S. has taken a huge step backwards for gender equality and women’s health." Tell us something we don't know, guy! But fortunately, Gates has offered a solution to the world's problems: [himself](). ## Savior Complex Well, technically he's offering the [Gates Foundation](), which he founded in 2000 with ex-wife Melinda. The Microsofter tweeted that by 2026, his foundation will have [upped spending]() from $6 billion to $9 billion annually. To achieve this goal, he's pledged to transfer $20 billion from his personal deep pockets to the endowment fund by the end of the month. "As I look to the future, I plan to give virtually all of my wealth to the foundation," he added in a [further post](). "I will move down and eventually off of the list of the world's richest people." ## Deep Pockets In 2021 alone, America's richest one percent gained about $6 trillion between them, [according to *CNBC*](), while the bottom 90 percent of all Americans saw their wealth decline overall. Those are staggering numbers, and we're sure that all of us can think of a few world-bettering things that we'd like to see happen with that money. That being said, while it's great to see one of the world's top elites commit so much money to an alleged attempt to save the world — instead of, say, trying to [buy Twitter]() on a whim — Gates is still an individual. These expensive promises sure do *sound* lovely, but we'll believe it when we see it. "I have an obligation to return my resources to society in ways that have the greatest impact for reducing suffering and improving lives," Gates [concluded](). "And I hope others in positions of great wealth and privilege will step up in this moment too." **More on Bill Gates:** [*Residents Furious When Bill Gates Swoops in to Buy Huge Amounts of Farmland*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()