• Gordon Moore has died at the age of 94, he was a visionary in the world of computing
  • He wrote “Moore’s Law” in 1965
  • In 1968, he co-founded the Intel company

Gordon Moore, co-founder and former CEO of Intel, died Friday at the age of 94 in Hawaii. A computer visionary and Silicon Valley pioneer, Moore founded Intel in 1968 with Robert Noyce, after leaving another company he co-founded called Fairchild Semiconductor. He is also the one behind “Moore’s Law”, a prediction of the rate at which chips are miniaturized.

In an article published in 1965, Moore predicted the exponential growth in the number of transistors that a chip could contain. At first, he predicts that this number will double every year (then, every two years, following a revision of the prediction). This is not a scientific law, but rather an observation that will prove correct for decades.

The Semiconductor Law

Moore’s Law will drive Intel and other chipmakers to continue investing in miniaturization in order to achieve this prediction. In the tweet below, you have Gordon Moore’s prediction on the left, and the evolution of the number of transistors in chips, on the right. An evolution that has boosted performance, but also made the technology more accessible.

“Gordon Moore defined the tech industry through his insight and vision. He was instrumental in revealing the power of transistors and inspiring technologists and entrepreneurs over the decades. At Intel, we remain inspired by Moore’s Law and intend to pursue it until the periodic table is exhausted”said Pat Gelsinger, the boss of Intel.

Moore also predicted our connected universe, before the PC and smartphone revolutions. “Integrated circuits will lead to such marvels as personal computers – or at least terminals connected to a central computer – automatic controls for automobiles and personal portable communication equipment”he had written.

It is important to note that currently the validity of Moore’s Law is debated, due to physical limitations to the miniaturization of transistors. But Intel, for its part, insists that this law is still valid. What is certain is that this law has contributed to the development of modern chips for our smartphones, our computers, as well as the cloud. And Gordon Moore has passed away as tech enters a new era, that of artificial intelligence.

New generative AIs like ChatGPT are going to bring big changes in the world. And these technologies will also drive new demand for chips used by servers.





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