As artificial intelligence, climate change, and wealth inequality advance rapidly in2024, leading tech guru and former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates poses serious existential questions inNetflix’snew docuseriesWhat’s Next? The Future with Bill Gates. The 5-part documentary was added to the platform on August 05, 2025, and covers everything from the looming threats of AI and the widening income inequality gap to methods of combating climate change and other pressing issues endangering human life and happiness.
With a lackluster 5.6 IMDb rating this far, many have conflated the poor reviews ofWhat’s Nextwith personal attacks on Bill Gates himself, rather than the content of the docuseries. While there is merit to that criticism, the real concern is whether Gates provides a legitimate plan to foster positive change in the future or if the thought-provoking documentary raises more questions than it answers.
The Premise of What’s Next
What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gatesis a 5-part docuseries produced for Netflix. The series follows Bill Gates, the world-leading technology innovator known for developing Microsoft.With a new director for each episode, Gates asks serious questions about the future of humanity, taking a close look at such existential threats as AI, climate change, income inequality, and biological diseases.Gates states upfront that he believes the education and health sectors are the biggest areas subject to sweeping technological advancement that can benefit humanity.
Addressing OpenAI, ChatGPT, and other open-source artificial intelligence companies, Gates invited experts and scholars to discuss the technological pros and cons.Science Fiction enthusiast James Cameronspeaks with Gates and equates the current state of AI to early-onset dementia in humans, where confusion, anger, and powerless agency lead to existential threats. In Episode 2, “Truth or Consequences,” Gates recruits Lady Gaga to speak about the perils of misinformation online, where mistruths often become adopted as fact and vice versa. Sociopolitical conspiracy theories abound, with Gates attempting to ensure a free and fair 2024 Presidential Election.
In Episode 3, “Can We Stop Global Warming,” Gates tackles the efficacy offighting climate change, weighing the cost-benefit analysis that future generations will inevitably have to confront. By this point in the docuseries, it’s clear that Gates has far more questions than answers, making viewers wonder why the show exists and what it aims to do.
In Episode 4, “Can You Be Too Rich,” Gates moderates between former U.S. Presidential hopefuls Bernie Sanders and Mitt Romney to discuss the widening chasm between the haves and have-nots. While it’s difficult for many to hear one of the wealthiest people on the planet discuss how much money matters, the most glaring issue is that the docuseries seems to focus more on Bill Gates the person, rather than the important global issues he’s raising.
Too Much Focus on Bill Gates' Personality
The biggest gripe viewers have voiced aboutWhat Nextis thatit focuses too much on Bill Gates instead of helpful answers, directives, and solutions regarding the existential issues raised.Gates provides no definitive answers or substantial news on the topics at hand. Rather, the series platforms other industry professionals who explain various technological processes. The experts also defer if not kowtow to Gates, looking to him to guide their findings and substantiate their work. More often than not,Gates has no clear-cut solutions and continues asking more questions rather than providing actionable answers.
For example, “Truth or Consequences” covers the vast conspiracy theories about Gates' personal and professional life and the efforts to debunk them. Everything from lizard people to population control to microchip vaccines is explored to clear Gates of the conspiratorial accusations, veering far from the global issues most viewers have tuned in to see.Too much time is spent on Gates' personal life, rather than addressing the crucial topics raised in each episode.
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In the fifth and final episode, “Can We Outsmart Disease,” Gates sits down withpublic health expert Anthony Faucito discuss how technology can fight infectious diseases. The lowest-rated episode on IMDb (5.5) ends the docuseries with a whimper, leading many to wonder what the point of the series is to begin with.Some have claimed the docuseries aims to promote the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Others feel like it’s more of a personal chronicle than a truly fascinating show about the world’s future and humanity’s place in it.
So, What’s the Point?
Unfortunately, instead of providing a deep philosophical discussion about the existential threats of 21st-century technology,the point ofWhat’s Nextis to reinforce Bill Gates' philanthropic efforts and never-ending curiosity.In attempting to chronicle how technology, politics, wealth, weather, and widespread information are intrinsically linked,the short binge-able docuseriesreflects more on the past than it projects the future with compelling certitude or optimism. For someone as intelligent, resourceful, and influential as Bill Gates, viewers expect more enlightened answers at worst and a rousing call to action at best.
Yet, too much time is spent recounting Gates' viral online clips of him jumping over chairs or dabbing, with his daughter Phoebe on hand to poke fun at him on camera. By spending so much time repairing his public image to reinforce his charitable kindness, the discussions about AI, climate change, wealth inequality, and the like are touched upon lightly and lose their intrinsic salience as each episode becomes less consequential.
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While it’s somewhat humbling to see Gates painted in a light where he isn’t the smartest person in the room with every answer in the world, looking to the next generation to guide humanity into the future, the aim and the execution ofWhat’s Nextnot only leaves a lot to be desired, but it also leaves one scratching their heads as to why it was made in the first place.What’s Nextis more about Gates than the pressing technological, climate, and wealth concerns plaguing the entire world.
What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gatesis available to stream on Netflix.
