Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder, warned in a nearly 6,000-word essay published Wednesday on his personal website that AI is forging the "most turbulent time in human history," predicting massive unemployment and economic turmoil and spelling out consequences if the technology falls into the hands of criminals when U.S. and global leaders do not immediately work together to address its dark side. The 70-year-old wrote that AI "will either be the greatest equalizer ever invented, or the worst source of injustice," calling the challenge monumental and saying that even under the best circumstances the transition will be one of the most turbulent times in human history. In an interview with The New York Times published Wednesday, Gates alleged tech industry executives are knowingly downplaying AI threats and putting profits over precautions, saying that in private those who understand how good the technology is are very worried but few would publicly admit it. In his essay, Gates said AI advances are moving at a "mind-blowing rate," that AI for the first time can replace and exceed human cognition, and that it will soon be substantially better than humans at many tasks, raising questions about keeping it from widening the divide between rich and poor and protecting those most vulnerable to its harms, including people who lose their livelihoods.