Could have been 'far worse': Why Bill Gates is 'just fine' with Donald Trump's Tax Law despite huge cuts in Climate tech
Microsoft founder
Bill Gates
has been a strong advocate of Clean Climate Technologies. Bill Gates has been actively involved in climate technology through his company Breakthrough Energy, which invests in and supports climate solutions. Gates believes that technological advancements and innovation are crucial for achieving significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, rather than solely relying on lifestyle changes.
In an interview with Cipher News, Bill Gates spoke about Donald Trump administration's recent legislation, dubbed the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act,' which significantly scaled back major climate incentives in the U.S. Gates expressed cautious optimism, stating, 'It wasn't quite the evisceration that a complete lack of believing in climate change might have led to.' The law, which Gates noted aligns with President Donald Trump and his Cabinet's dismissal of climate change as a pressing issue, eliminated most federal incentives for established technologies like wind, solar, and electric vehicles.
Tax law could have been far more damaging
However, Gates emphasized that U.S. demand is only a fraction of the global market, suggesting these technologies will continue to develop globally despite the cuts. 'They're still going to happen,' he said. Gates highlighted that the bill preserved tax credits for emerging technologies like geothermal, nuclear fission, and fusion, a move he sees as a mitigating factor. 'The fact that it retained tax credits for newer technologies, in particular geothermal and nuclear fission and fusion,' was evidence, he said, that the legislation could have been more damaging.
Why Breakthrough Energy has cut lobbying efforts
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription
Techno Mag
Learn More
Undo
On Breakthrough Energy's scaled-back policy efforts, Gates revealed he has reduced funding for clean energy advocacy due to his increased focus on global health and the emergence of other climate action leaders. 'I view global health as, in a certain sense, having a lot of urgency because of the dramatic reductions that have been made there,' he said. However, he affirmed Breakthrough's overall success, including its fellows program and venture investments, and indicated he would step in to support advocacy efforts, such as preserving cleantech tax credits, when necessary. 'If I see that that story is not being told well, I'll jump in,' he added.
Discussing TerraPower, the advanced nuclear power company he founded, Gates noted that AI-fueled data centers are driving significant demand. 'The AI data center industry may help us fill up our order book for the first, you know, 10 to 20 units,' he said, explaining that this scale could enable more efficient manufacturing. He added that nearly all U.S. demand for TerraPower is tied to data centers, a point underscored by a recent investment round led by Nvidia's venture arm.
AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
31 minutes ago
- Time of India
Grok Imagine Turns Musk-Zilis Child's Sketch Into Something the Internet Can't Stop Watching
A hand-drawn sketch by Elon Musk 's young son has sparked fresh interest in AI tools– this time in a deeply personal context. When Shivon Zilis, an executive at Neuralink, used xAI's image-to-animation tool to bring their toddler's crayon drawing to life, the internet paused to take notice. The brief clip, shared on social media, has now been viewed millions of times and is being praised for both its simplicity and emotional resonance. Child's crayon drawing turned into an animated clip Strider, the three-year-old son of Elon Musk and Shivon Zilis, recently made a bright and playful sketch of a yellow spaceship flying toward a pink version of Mars. The drawing, addressed to 'Daddy Elon Musk', was later animated using Grok Imagine– an image-to-animation tool developed by xAI, Musk's artificial intelligence company. Zilis posted the short clip on X (formerly Twitter), writing: 'Imagine bringing images to life.' The animation retained the colours and shapes from the original drawing, turning them into a soft and flowing animated sequence. Musk shares the animation with followers Shortly after the clip was posted, Elon Musk reshared it on his own X handle. His caption read: 'Grok Imagine can turn your child's drawing into an animated movie.' The video has since garnered over 8 million views. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas Prices In Dubai Might Be More Affordable Than You Think Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Quote Undo by Taboola by Taboola Online reactions: Emotional and curious The video was met with a warm response across social media. Several users commented on how the animation felt 'heartwarming' and 'amazing.' A few even shared that they were inspired to experiment with their own children's artwork using similar tools. Many comments also focused on how closely the final animation reflected the child's original sketch. The moment gave way to broader conversations around the evolving role of AI in everyday life– especially when it comes to memory-making and creativity. Who is Shivon Zilis? Shivon Zilis, who holds an executive role at Neuralink– Elon Musk's brain-machine interface company– was born to a Canadian father and an Indian Punjabi mother, according to a report by The Economic Times. Zilis and Musk have four children together: twins named Strider and Azure, a daughter named Arcadia, and a son named Seldon Lycurgus.
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
Lenovo LOQ gaming laptops with Nvidia RTX 50 series GPUs launched in India
Lenovo India has launched its latest LOQ gaming laptops featuring next-generation NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards, starting at Rs 109,990. Here's everything you need to know about Lenovo's new LOQ gaming laptops. The new LOQ lineup targets mainstream gamers and content creators with configurations featuring AMD Ryzen 7 250 or Intel Core i7-14700HX processors paired with up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 8GB discrete graphics. The laptops support up to 32GB RAM and include AI-powered dynamic performance optimization through Lenovo's LA1 AI chip. "With our latest Lenovo LOQ series powered by RTX 50 Series GPUs, we're bringing smarter, faster performance to more gamers in India," said Ashish Sikka, Director and Category Head at Lenovo India. The company emphasizes the laptops deliver essential gaming specifications including high refresh rate displays , thermal efficiency, and powerful processor-graphics pairings. Key gaming features include displays with up to 165Hz refresh rates for competitive gaming and Lenovo's Hyperchamber cooling technology for temperature management under intensive workloads. The design incorporates a minimalist chassis, 5MP camera with e-shutter, and full-size gaming keyboard featuring 1.6mm key travel and 24-zone RGB lighting. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Unforgettable Cars from the Past The laptops come with comprehensive warranty coverage including one-year onsite service and one-year Accidental Damage Protection as standard. Customers can upgrade to extended three-year warranty, premium care, and ADP coverage for Rs 3,999. The gaming laptops are now available on Further, customers can order custom specced laptops with Lenovo's Custom-to-Order system, allowing buyers to customise specifications before purchase, promising delivery within 15-20 days. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
Trump admin backs off immediate ban, but pressures Harvard over visas and funding
What began as a policy memo has now metastasized into one of the most consequential legal face-offs in American higher education. At the center of the storm is Harvard University, an academic titan that now finds itself locked in a protracted battle with the Trump administration, not just over billions in frozen federal research funds, but over the very future of its international student body. The dispute goes far beyond campus boundaries. It is testing the limits of executive power over academic freedom, weaponizing immigration infrastructure to target perceived ideological dissent, and redrawing the contours of America's engagement with global talent. For Harvard, the stakes are existential. For the United States, the implications are international. The trigger: SEVP certification as a political weapon In May, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attempted a dramatic revocation of Harvard's certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), a federal designation required for enrolling international students. The justification? A tenuous blend of accusations: Unchecked campus antisemitism, concerns over influence from the Chinese Communist Party, and noncompliance with reporting requirements. A federal judge swiftly blocked the ban, calling into question both its timing and legal foundation. But the damage was already done. More than 7,000 international students at Harvard faced an abrupt threat to their immigration status, and institutions across the country watched as the government targeted one of their own in a stunning show of power, as reported by US media sources. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mr. Bala's Powerful Intraday Strategy Revealed – No More Guesswork TradeWise Learn More Undo The latest maneuver: Tactical retreat or strategic reframe? This week, the Justice Department filed a new motion offering to 'simplify' the case. It distanced itself from the now-infamous May 22 letter by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, which had previously served as the basis for the attempted ban. The administration now seeks to proceed through formal administrative channels, an apparent shift in tone, but not in intent. Officials say the move is designed to 'narrow the issues.' Critics say it's a strategic recalibration aimed at insulating the administration from further legal embarrassment while continuing to squeeze Harvard through bureaucratic pressure points. Despite offering to negotiate, the government claims Harvard declined a proposed meeting. Meanwhile, the broader legal war continues, with Harvard filing a separate lawsuit over the withholding of $2 billion in federal research grants, a fiscal stranglehold designed to compel compliance. The settlement trap: Monitors, money, and mandates Behind closed doors, however, another game is playing out. According to sources familiar with the negotiations, the White House is seeking a $500 million payment from Harvard as a settlement floor, an extraordinary sum that signals how high the stakes have climbed. And this isn't just about money. The administration is reportedly insisting on a deal modeled after the one recently imposed on Columbia University: a $221 million settlement that included strict limits on international student enrollment, mandatory reporting of visa infractions, and the appointment of a federal monitor embedded within the institution. For Harvard, agreeing to such terms would amount to relinquishing a core tenet of academic autonomy. For Washington, it's a litmus test of loyalty and submission. The Trump administration is positioning oversight not just as compliance, but as capitulation. Academic freedom under siege The chilling effect of this standoff is already evident. Other elite institutions, many of which rely on international students for tuition revenue and intellectual capital, are recalibrating their risk calculus. If Harvard can be stripped of access and funding under the guise of national security, no institution is immune. The targeting of international students also aligns with broader policy trends. Visa appointments are stalling. Work permit pathways are tightening. Campus-based speech is being reframed as a national threat. In this environment, academic institutions are no longer neutral grounds, they are surveillance zones and ideological battlegrounds. The bigger picture: Exporting fear, importing control What the administration is executing is not just a legal battle, but a systemic realignment. By linking federal research dollars with immigration enforcement and ideological policing, the White House is effectively recoding the governance of higher education. It's a message to all universities: Comply with our worldview, or pay a price. The SEVP certification, once a benign bureaucratic requirement, is now a tactical lever. It turns student mobility into an instrument of statecraft, one that can be granted or revoked based on political favor. This sets a dangerous precedent, not just for Harvard, but for global academic cooperation. An inflection point for American academia As the court date looms and negotiations remain fraught, Harvard stands at a critical crossroads. Caving to federal pressure may protect access to funding and visa programs, but at the cost of institutional sovereignty. Defiance, on the other hand, risks isolation and prolonged legal warfare. This isn't merely a case of one university versus one administration. It's a referendum on the soul of American higher education, on whether it remains a sanctuary for global learning, or becomes an extension of political machinery. Either way, the outcome will resonate far beyond Cambridge. Because what's unfolding is not just a lawsuit. It's a test of whether academic independence can survive in a climate where internationalism is no longer an asset, but a liability. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
