Gordon Moore, Intel co-founder, engineer, chemist and business leader, has died at the age of 91. Moore was best known for his 1965 prediction that the number of transistors on a chip would double every two years. This prediction evolved into Moore’s Law, and became the foundation for the global semiconductor industry.
Moore was born in San Francisco and grew up in California. He was an associate professor at the California Institute of Technology, but left for Fairchild Semiconductor in 1957 to work on silicon chips. At Fairchild, he realized the potential of integrated circuits, and along with his colleague Robert Noyce, he founded Intel in 1968. As chairman, CEO and president of the Intel Corporation, Moore led the company during the rapid expansion of the semiconductor industry and the development of the personal computer.
Throughout the years, Moore received numerous awards and accolades for his work and contributions, including the National Medal of Technology and Innovation and the National Medal of Science. In 2000, Time named Moore one of the 100 most influential people of the century.
His impact, however, extended far beyond Intel. Moore’s Law enabled transistors to be miniaturized and made computing faster, cheaper and more integrated, allowing companies to develop consumer products such as tablets and smartphones. Without Moore’s insight, it’s likely that the technology industry would look very different than it does today.
Moore passed away peacefully at his home on January 24, 2020. He is survived by his wife, Betty, five children and ten grandchildren. He was an inspiration for current and future generations of engineers, and his legacy will live on for many years to come.