Bill Gates II from India or China: US Survey

A sizeable number of Americans believe that the next Bill Gates will come from India or China, as the two Asian giants are fast marching ahead on the global platform, a new US survey reveals.

“When asked where the next Bill Gates will come from, 40 per cent of Americans predicted either India or China,” said a national survey released by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) on the sidelines of the world’s largest consumer technology trade show at Las Vegas.

A majority of them, about 96 per cent, believed innovation was critical to the future success of the United States of America as a world economic leader, but they were concerned that the rising federal deficit would jeopardise prosperity of future generations, the survey said.

The economic survey, conducted by Zogby International, found that 68 per cent of Americans thought innovation was key to the future success of their place of employment, with 50 per cent maintaining that innovation was important for the job remaining in the US.

After the World Economic Forum reported that the US has lost its global competitiveness ranking, while India, China and Brazil have gained, 74 per cent of Americans said it was unlikely the US would regain its status next year. But 44 per cent pointed innovation of being the most important factor in seeking US competitiveness, it said.

According to the survey, nearly 60 per cent Americans agreed that the rising national deficit would have a “major impact” on the prosperity of future generations.