Bill Gates

"I think it's fair to say that the free market system has created more wealth than any other system."

"The pace of progress in artificial intelligence is incredibly fast."

"I have to say that if life was a musical it would be rather like an opera."

"Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself."

"We're living in an age of incredible change and opportunity."

"Doing more things faster is not the same as doing more important things."

"Don't let complexity stop you. Be activists. Take on the big inequities."

"If you want to improve education, you have to involve the people who know it best."

"Optimism is a choice. You can choose to be optimistic."

"The best way to help poor people is to help them find jobs."

"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning."

"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose."

"I think it's important for people to understand how their government works."

"Reducing poverty is not just good for the poor, it's good for everybody."

"The mark of a great educator is that he or she is constantly learning."

"I'm a big believer that once you get to a certain level of wealth, you should give most of it away."

"The ability to make mistakes is crucial to creativity."

"We thought we were heading into the age of machines, but really we're heading into the age of humans."

"Cutting through complexity is what allows new ideas to take root."

"I really do think that some of the mistakes I've made in my personal life are ones I regret."

"A vaccine for malaria could save millions of lives."

"I would argue that what we're doing with our foundation is good for capitalism."

"The key insight of the Gates Foundation is not about charity, it's about investing in people."

"I think we're getting close to having some really breakthrough innovations in the coming years."

"My parents instilled in me an obligation to give something back to society."

"I'm quite optimistic that the world will be better in ten years than it is today."

"Being smart about which programs really help is the key to making a difference."

"We have a market system that works much better than central planning."

"The most important thing I've learned is how to read people."

"I believe we should take Africa seriously, not as a burden but as an opportunity."