If Bill Gates were to start Microsoft over from scratch today, he would view it as a 'fantastic opportunity'.

Bill Gates would join the AI arms race with an "AI-centric" startup if he had to start over again, he says.

According to CNBC Make It, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates stated that someone could raise billions of dollars for a new AI company based on just a few sketch ideas.

He would attempt to build a rival to big companies' AI efforts if he could gain enough capital, but if not, he would focus on a specific niche industry where AI could be useful and grow in a focused way with minimal competition.

Bill Gates researched the AI industry for his upcoming Netflix docuseries "What's Next? The Future With Bill Gates," which premieres on September 18. His top entrepreneurial takeaway is that to truly excel as a small company, one must focus on doing something unique.

The technology industry is experiencing a boom, with startups receiving over $26 billion in investment this year, according to Pitchbook. However, it may be too late for new tech startups to catch up with the rapid development of AI technology. Despite this, AI will still be transformative enough to make it worth considering for any new tech startup to fit into the industry, says Gates.

Gates believes that his hypothetical startup would not be as successful as Microsoft. When Microsoft was founded in 1976, only "hobbyists" like Gates and Allen believed that computers would eventually become a dominant part of culture. Their foresight, along with their ability to attract engineers and develop software, helped them capture a burgeoning market.

"Gates believes that his unique perspective on AI system design sets him apart from others, stating, "Just having faith in AI isn't enough. I needed to develop a distinctive approach to designing AI systems that others didn't comprehend.""

Gates concedes that if he were a young entrepreneur today, he would have to rely on his "young brain" to recognize the flaws in other companies' AI approaches and think, "Wow, that's so dumb."

Gates advised entrepreneurs to consider how AI could enhance their businesses or daily routines by automating expensive tasks or generating innovative concepts that could have broader implications. For instance, if AI could streamline paperwork for doctors, they could devote more time to counseling their patients, as Gates stated in a January interview with CNN.

"He now says, "I'm encouraging young people at Microsoft, OpenAI, wherever I find them: 'Hey, here's the frontier,'" because they are taking a fresher look at this than he is, and that's their fantastic opportunity."

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