In 1999, Bill Gates wrote a book titled “Business @ the Speed of Thought.” In the book, Gates makes 15 bold predictions that at the time might have sounded outrageous. But as business student Markus Kirjonen pointed out on his blog, Gates’ forecasts turned out to be “eerily prescient.” Here are the 10 predictions he made nearly 20 years ago — and how close they have come to being true.

1. Bill Gates Made These 10
Predictions in 1999
…and it’s scary how accurate he was
In 1999, Bill Gates wrote a book titled “Business @ the Speed of Thought.”
In the book, Gates makes 15 bold predictions that at the time might have
sounded outrageous.
But as business student Markus Kirjonen pointed out on his blog, Gates’
forecasts turned out to be “eerily prescient.”
Here are the 10 predictions he made nearly 20 years ago — and how
close they have come to being true:
Read the original post here: http://bit.ly/2uUzwUH
Anthony J James LinkedIn #agencyinfluencer2017

2. PRICE-COMPARISON
SITES
#1
Gates’ prediction: “Automated price
comparison services will be developed,
allowing people to see prices across
multiple websites, making it effortless to find
the cheapest product for all industries.”
What we see now: You can easily search
for a product on Google or Amazon and get
different prices. Sites like NexTag and
PriceGrabber are built specifically to
compare prices.
Read more at https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-15-predictions-in-1999-come-true-2017-6#SkGf4tXMDV0wD2IE.99

3. MOBILE DEVICES
Gates’ prediction: “People will carry around
small devices that allow them to constantly
stay in touch and do electronic business from
wherever they are. They will be able to check
the news, see flights they have booked, get
information from financial markets, and do
just about anything else on these devices.”
What we see now: Smartphones, and now
smartwatches, do all of this.
#2
Read more at https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-15-predictions-in-1999-come-true-2017-6#SkGf4tXMDV0wD2IE.99

4. INSTANT PAYMENTS
AND FINANCING
ONLINE + BETTER
HEALTHCARE
#3
Gates’ prediction: “People will pay their bills,
take care of their finances, and communicate with
their doctors over the internet.”
What we see now: Tech hasn’t been able to
change healthcare the way Uber changed
transportation, but sites like ZocDoc aim to make
finding a doctor and scheduling easier. Startups
like One Medical and Forward are trying to
change what the doctor’s office is like by offering
monthly memberships for online and data-driven
healthcare.
You can also now borrow money online through
sites like Lending Club and easily make
payments through sites and apps like PayPal and
Venmo.

5. PERSONAL
ASSISTANCE AND IoT
Gates’ prediction: ‘Personal companions’ will be developed.
They will connect and sync all your devices in a smart way,
whether they are at home or in the office, and allow them to
exchange data. The device will check your email or
notifications, and present the information that you need. When
you go to the store, you can tell it what recipes you want to
prepare, and it will generate a list of ingredients that you need
to pick up. It will inform all the devices that you use of your
purchases and schedule, allowing them to automatically
adjust to what you’re doing.
What we see now: Google Now, a smart assistant that runs
on mobile devices, is starting to head in this direction.
Meanwhile, smart devices like Nest collect data on your daily
routines and automatically adjust your house’s
temperature.There’s also a wave of voice-controlled devices,
like Amazon’s Echo and the Google Home, that you can ask
to read your email to you or guide you through recipes as you
cook.
#4
Read more at https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-15-predictions-in-1999-come-true-2017-6#SkGf4tXMDV0wD2IE.99

6. ONLINE HOME
MONITORING
#5
Gates’ prediction: “Constant video feeds of your
house will become common, which inform you
when somebody visits while you are not home.”
What we see now: Google bought Dropcam, the
maker of a home-surveillance camera, for $555
million in 2014. But that was just the beginning —
Ring makes a smart doorbell camera that can let
you see who is at your door. There are even
cameras like the PetCube that let you control a
laser so you can play with your pets while you’re
away.
Read more at https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-15-predictions-in-1999-come-true-2017-6#SkGf4tXMDV0wD2IE.99

7. SOCIAL MEDIA
Gates’ prediction: “Private websites for your friends and
family will be common, allowing you to chat and plan for
events.”
What we see now: Two billion people already use Facebook
to see what their friends are doing and plan events. There’s
also Snapchat, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook
Messenger alongside an explosion of other smaller social
networks that more than cover this prediction.
#6
Read more at https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-15-predictions-in-1999-come-true-2017-6#SkGf4tXMDV0wD2IE.99

8. AUTOMATED
PROMOTIONAL
OFFERS
#7
Gates’ prediction: “Software that knows when
you’ve booked a trip and uses that information to
suggest activities at the local destination. It
suggests activities, discounts, offers, and
cheaper prices for all the things that you want to
take part in.”
What we see now: Travel sites like Expedia and
Kayak offer deals based on a user’s past
purchase data. Google and Facebook can offer
promotional ads based on the user’s location and
interests. Airbnb, which lets people stay in homes
rather than hotels, started to offer specialised
trips at destinations so you can live like a local,
too.
Read more at https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-15-predictions-in-1999-come-true-2017-6#SkGf4tXMDV0wD2IE.99

9. LIVE SPORTS
DISCUSSION SITES
#8
Gates’ prediction: “While watching a sports
competition on television, services will allow you
to discuss what is going on live, and enter a
contest where you vote on who you think will
win.”
What we see now: A bunch of social media sites
allow this, with Twitter being the clear leader —
and even streaming some games. You can also
leave comments in real time on sports sites like
ESPN.
Read more at https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-15-predictions-in-1999-come-true-2017-6#SkGf4tXMDV0wD2IE.99

10. SMART ADVERTISING
Gates’ prediction: “Devices will have smart advertising. They
will know your purchasing trends, and will display
advertisements that are tailored toward your preferences.”
What we see now: Just look at the ads you see on Facebook
or Google — most online advertising services have this
feature, where advertisers can target users based on their
click history, interests, and purchasing patterns.
#9
Read more at https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-15-predictions-in-1999-come-true-2017-6#SkGf4tXMDV0wD2IE.99

11. ONLINE RECRUITING
#10
Gates’ prediction: “Similarly, people looking for
work will be able to find employment
opportunities online by declaring their interest,
needs, and specialised skills.”
What we see now: Sites like LinkedIn allow
users to upload résumés and find jobs based on
interests and needs, and recruiters can search
based on specialised skills.
Read more at https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-15-predictions-in-1999-come-true-2017-6#SkGf4tXMDV0wD2IE.99