[SeanDav]

Bill Gates is well aware that people will take this, not as his personal opinion, but as the opinion of Microsoft. He could have made it it clear that this was his personal opinion and not related to the Microsoft position, but he did not.

[tallanvor]

Most people outside the tech industry don't pay attention to what Bill Gates, Tim Cook, or anyone else in the tech industry says. Those in the industry are hopefully smart enough to recognize that Bill Gates saying something doesn't mean that Microsoft is necessarily in agreement with it.

[rahoulb]

But the likes of Bill Gates will get quoted on the news headlines - most people don't care but will hear "Bill Gates says..." and think "well, if the experts think that"