Steve Wozniak nicknamed “The Woz” known as a coding genius and co-founder of the tech giant Apple along with the late Steve Jobs is an American inventor, electronics engineer, programmer, philanthropist, and technology entrepreneur who co-founded Apple Inc. He is known as a pioneer of the personal computer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s, along with Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Wozniak single-handedly developed the 1976 Apple I, which was the computer that launched Apple.
Speaking exclusively at the global financial technology conference money 20/20, Steve Woz gave an insightful and at some points comical look at the history of Apple and the future of AI.
With Apple as a company estimated at around over 8 billion dollars in 2017, Steve Woz recalls the time when it was a million dollar company back in the 70s as they always knew they were going to be a great company as the product was necessary. Our idea of the industry and how people would use computers on their own was so wrong. Fortunately, we had the technology and diversification to implement the growth and demand that was needed.
With regards to AI, I was always certain that a device couldn't mimic the human brain, which was what I took comfort in, however, if we look now at the displays, for example, they have got so realistic and the amount of storage that is needed to hold a song compared to now is unreal.
however computers cant be like a brain as it isn't intuitive enough. We shouldn't be scared of robots taking over our lives and instead work with them to create specific inventions that will enrich our lives.
I think the biggest worry is that they will be replacing jobs. This has in fact been happening for a long time since the industrial revolution in Manchester, England for example in factories there was always machinery or technology that would change the dynamics of the workforce.
You can always find a job that is replaced by machines. They tend to shift the social category but this has been around for years. I don't buy into this fear tactic. We should look at it in a constructive way. A robot will never harm a human being. In terms of things like driverless cars, this can be looked upon as a scary thing but we are a long way off from this taking over.
However, Audi has some pretty impressive models with level 4 cars that use the GPS to navigate the way but allows you to still take control. AI is going to change our lives in a big way as its all interconnected with the way our brain works and develops the way we interact.
I have certain devices that have changed my life such as the Apple Watch which can send an email to my wife while I'm walking the dog for example. Apple pay is another great and convenient invention. Obviously, the Android which has always tried to make life easy for humans had this invention of devise payment technology mapped out before Apple.
The I phone 10 is coming out soon with advanced features that will push forward certain functions and it will be interesting to see how it takes off as we grow and develop while adapting to these new forms of technology.
The iPhone watch being able to do everything or even an invention of a little ring you wear on your finger would be fun right?
There is potential for Apple pay to take over banking functions with more diversity. I am a big fan of blockchain transactions as every transaction is documented. Let's see in the future how the monetary landscape changes and how cryptocurrencies will look 20 years from now and how they will be incorporated with other technologies.
I was an engineer back in the beginning of Apple and it was really hard. Learning about minerals that you have to take out of the ground, and create technology with it. Nowadays engineering includes digital engineering that doesn't use a map. The categories that are going to grow are AI, machine learning with breakthrough robots. We will have self-driving trucks before we have self-driving cars. We will have robots dispensing meds instead of nurses. But don't just listen to me. Go where things are hard. If you want to achieve something then it requires discipline.
Some fun Quickfire round questions were asked at the end:
What smartphone do you use?
I carry a lot of different models. however, the one I use right now is the iPhone 8.
Desktop or Laptop?
Laptop
Best A.I character in a movie or book?
Chappy
Siri or Alexa?
Alexa
Alexa or google assistant?
They both help in different ways
Marvel or JC?
All are fascinating
Best Batman?
Won't take sides
Best Prank? involving Steve Jobs?
Steve and I always played pranks on each other so there are far too many to mention. however, there was one in particular of where we were trying out the 'blue box' business which allowed users to get free phone service illegally. He was trying it out and I told him that the FEDS were on the other end. He couldn't hang up quick enough.
Steve Wozniak aka "The Woz" Co-founder, Apple Computer Inc.
A Silicon Valley icon and philanthropist for the past three decades, Steve Wozniak helped shape the computing industry with his design of Apple’s first line of products the Apple I and II and influenced the popular Macintosh. In 1976, Wozniak and Steve Jobs founded Apple Computer Inc. with Wozniak's Apple I personal computer. The following year, he introduced his Apple II personal computer, featuring a central processing unit, a keyboard, color graphics, and a floppy disk drive.
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