Intel co-founder Gordon Moore died on Friday at the age of 94, the chip and computer maker announced. According to a statement, the businessman was surrounded by family at his home in Hawaii at the time of departure.
Who was Gordon Moore?
- An engineering graduate, Moore launched Intel with Robert Noyce in 1968;
- Considered a prophet of technology and a pioneer in the semiconductor industry, he created Moore’s Law in 1965 — he wrote an article predicting historic improvements on the microchip and processor industry trend;
- Moore was executive chairman of Intel until 1975 and president and CEO until 1997. He revolutionized the world’s technological progress.
Moore’s Law, according to Intel, predicted that the number of transistors that could be placed on a silicon chip would double at regular (two-year) intervals in the near future, thus exponentially increasing the data processing power of computers—the which actually happened!
The prediction spurred the computer and smartphone technology revolution, moving the entire market—Intel and its rivals aggressively directed their research and development resources to make the prediction come true.
Moore’s observation, and the consequent improvement in technology, made chips more efficient and cheaper, also boosting the Internet and the entire Silicon Valley and its tech giants, such as Apple, Facebook and Google.
“Integrated circuits will lead to wonders such as home computers — or at least terminals connected to a central computer — automatic controls for automobiles and portable personal communication equipment,” Moore wrote in his article, two decades before the PC revolution and more than 40 years later. before Apple released the iPhone.
Currently, some Intel rivals such as Nvidia believe that the Moore Law is no longer valid because improvements in chip manufacturing have slowed. However, the current president of Intel, Pat Gelsinger, believes in the contemporaneity of the article.
“It’s great to be in the right place at the right time,” Moore said in a 2005 interview. “I was very lucky to get into the semiconductor industry in its infancy. And I’ve had the opportunity to grow from where we couldn’t make a single silicon transistor to where we’ve put 1.7 billion of them on a chip! It has been a phenomenal ride.”
According to Forbes, Moore had a net worth of $7.2 billion. He too:
- He was an advocate of environmental causes and, with his wife, Betty, started a foundation in favor of the cause – Moore donated about $ 5 billion in Intel stock to the project;
- The engineer also invested in the California Institute of Technology;
- Supported the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project;
- He also received the Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, from President George W. Bush in 2002.
Moore and Betty were married for 72 years. He leaves two children.
