An invitation from Warren Buffett to address a small group of business leaders in 2001 became a pivotal moment that helped Bill Gates envision a life beyond Microsoft Corp.

From Microsoft's Rise To A Moment of Reckoning

In a September 2019 post on Gates Notes, the Microsoft co-founder reflected on how his outlook shifted in his mid-40s after years at Microsoft, particularly during the strain of the U.S. government's antitrust case.

Although he stepped down as CEO in 2000 to refocus on software, his interests were already expanding beyond the company he co-founded.

At the same time, Gates and Melinda French Gates were becoming deeply involved in their foundation's work, focusing on U.S. education and global health.

Gates immersed himself in learning about infectious diseases, vaccines and public health challenges in low-income countries, subjects far removed from software code.

A Growing Commitment To Global Health

The couple transferred roughly $20 billion in Microsoft stock to their foundation, making it the world's largest philanthropic organization at the time, Gates wrote.

Gates soon traveled internationally, including a trip to India, where he witnessed polio vaccinations firsthand, while Melinda studied AIDS prevention efforts in Asia.

Despite their optimism, Gates said many leaders believed global health problems were too vast to solve.

That skepticism frustrated him, especially given that millions of child deaths each year were caused by a small number of treatable diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhea.

Warren Buffett's Invitation Becomes A Turning Point

In the fall of 2001, Buffett invited Gates to speak at a gathering of business leaders in West Virginia.

Exhausted from late-night legal negotiations and armed only with notes, Gates used the talk to explain how innovation, vaccines and better systems could save millions of lives.

The response surprised him. Buffett praised the talk, telling Gates, "That was amazing, Bill… What you said was amazing and your energy around this work is amazing," a moment Gates described as a personal breakthrough.

A New Path Beyond Microsoft

The speech gave Gates confidence to speak publicly about global health and helped clarify his future.

While software remained central to his identity, he increasingly devoted himself to philanthropy, ultimately retiring from Microsoft earlier than planned.

Since then, Gates says the work he outlined in that room continues to drive him.

Gates' Net Worth, Philanthropy And Longtime Friendship With Buffett

According to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, Gates currently has a net worth of Bill Gates $104 billion.

In a 2025 interview, Gates said philanthropy has become his main priority and revealed that he has given $100 billion to charitable causes.

His donations reflect a wider trend among billionaire philanthropists, including Buffett, who has donated tens of billions of dollars over the years.

Gates also helped launch the Giving Pledge in 2006 with Buffett and his ex-wife, Melinda, urging the world's wealthiest individuals to dedicate most of their fortunes to charitable causes.

The tech mogul's and Oracle of Omaha's friendship began during a relaxed Fourth of July gathering in 1991, where an initially reluctant Gates bonded with Buffett through hours of conversation.

Photo courtesy: Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock.com

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.