This translation has been automatically generated and has not been verified for accuracy.Microsoft’s chief technology officer, Kevin Scott, oversees thousands of engineers and scientists working in artificial intelligence, computer science and other research.
He’s also out with a new book. “Reprogramming the American Dream” connects Scott’s rural upbringing in Gladys, Virginia, to his optimistic view that AI could help bridge the digital and economic divide.Scott spoke with The Associated Press about the pandemic’s effects on his day-to-day responsibilities. The interview has been edited for clarity and length.
A: You need to be able to have equitable access to technology in order for communities to be able to employ technology to build better businesses, create more jobs and improve the lives and livelihoods of the people in those communities. You can’t even begin to have that conversation unless the people who live in those communities are connected to the internet. There’s this really, really stark divide between the haves and the have nots.