Information technology and business are becoming inextricably interwoven. I don't think anybody can talk meaningfully about one without the talking about the other.

Gates is arguing that computing is no longer a specialized back-office tool but a core element of how modern organizations compete, coordinate work, and create value. As software and networks permeate finance, logistics, marketing, and customer service, “IT” decisions become business-strategy decisions: choices about data, platforms, security, and automation directly shape costs, speed, and customer experience. The quote also implies a shift in leadership literacy—executives can’t sensibly plan or manage without understanding technology’s role, and technologists can’t design effective systems without grasping business goals. It anticipates the later commonplace that most companies are, in some sense, software-driven enterprises.