Remembering Gordon Moore; Intel co-founder and creator of Moore's Law

Gordon Moore, Intel co-founder and creator of Moore’s Law, has died aged 94. During an era where names such as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos & Elon Musk are considered as giants in the world of technical innovation, Gordon Moore arguably laid the foundations upon which they were able to build. Moore defined the technology industry through his insight and vision, played a large role in shaping the Silicon Valley culture and inspired entrepreneurs and technology enthusiasts across decades. By the 50th anniversary of Moore’s Law in 2015, Intel estimated that the pace of innovation brought about by Moore’s Law had brought in some $3 trillion in additional value to the global gross domestic product, plus another $9 trillion of indirect value over the prior 20 years.

In 1965, Gordon Moore famously predicted that the number of transistors and other components on a chip (making up its processing power) would double every year for the next decade. Moore later said “I wanted to predict that this would be the way to make electronics inexpensively, which was not generally acknowledged at that time”. Moore’s prediction suggested that the number of transistors on a chip would rise from 60 to 60,000 over a ten year period. Whilst this appeared to be an extreme extrapolation at the time, it turned out to be highly accurate. This prediction, named ‘Moore’s Law’ by his colleague at Intel, has exemplified the onrush of technological advancement ever since, underpinning the computer processor industry and influencing the Personal Computer revolution. After Moore’s article whereby he forecast that integrated circuits would lead "to such wonders as home computers - or at least terminals connected to a central computer - automatic controls for automobiles, and personal portable communications equipment", memory chips became less expensive and increased in efficiency at a rapid rate.

Once Moore had earnt his PhD at the California Institute of Technology he moved to the East Coast to take a position at John Hopkins University. Two years later, Moore moved back to California to take a position with William Shockley (one of 3 people involved with inventing the transistor, a foundation component in electronics, and later awarded a Nobel Prize). Shockley had built up a strong team of young engineers, however an overbearing management style later led to Moore and 7 colleagues quitting to form a new business. Fairchild Semiconductor was formed and went on to lay the foundations for the development of Silicon Valley on a peninsula of land south of San Francisco. 

In 1968, Moore and a co-worker Robert Noyce left Fairchild Semiconductor established their own business- Intel.

Intel was founded in Spring of 1968 when Moore suggested to Robert Noyce that semiconductor memory (an emerging technology at the time) could form the basis of a new company which would allow them to pursue innovation on their own terms. On 18th July 1968 the pair incorporated a venture that would later be known as Intel. Fairly soon after incorporation Andy Grove joined the company, and the trio formed the leadership team of a company that would lead the way with technological innovation and alter the industry long-term. 

In 1969, a year after formation, Intel’s first product was released- the 3101 Schottky Random-access Memory. This device brought in much needed revenue whilst Moore and colleagues worked to develop the metal-oxide semiconductors that eventually replaced Schottky RAM, bringing better performance and affordability long term. Later that year Intel released the 1101 static random-access memory which was the first commercial chip to successfully implement two key technologies- metal oxide semiconductors and silicon gates. These innovations made integrated circuits cheaper, more efficient to produce, and higher quality than previous Schottky RAM and paved the way for lower cost computers and eventually PC’s. 

As Japanese competition in the memory chip market increased Intel repositioned itself as a computer processor maker. 

Moore played an important role in the management of Intel for many years, initially as an executive vice president and president before then becoming CEO from 1979 until 1987. Moore then continued as chair and then chair emeritus until he retired in 2006. Under Moore’s leadership Intel became the world’s highest valued semiconductor chip maker. More than that, Intel played an important role in establishing Silicon Valley’s culture and ethos, offering stock incentives to employees and rewarding innovation, loyalty and entrepreneurial spirit.  

Alongside his wife, Moore founded the Gordon and Betty Moore foundation, one of the largest private grant making foundations in the US. When describing its mission, the foundation states “Gordon and Betty Moore established the foundation to create positive outcomes for future generations. In pursuit of that vision, we foster path-breaking scientific discovery, environmental conservation, patient care improvements and preservation of the special character of the San Francisco Bay Area.”

Gordon Moore is survived by his wife, Betty, his sons Kenneth and Steven, and four grandchildren. Whilst Moore often argued that his career as entrepreneur happened by accident, his world-changing contributions did not. Moore has a long reaching legacy as a result of his revolutionary technologies and breakthroughs, philanthropy, and the culture of innovation that he nurtured that now defines Silicon Valley. The Gordon and Betty Moore foundation continues to make a positive impact on the world, tackling large, important issues at a scale where significant and measurable impacts can be made. In 2002, Moore was awarded the Medal of Freedom from President George W Bush. This is highest civilian honour in the US and only begins to explain the impact that Gordon Moore has had on the technology industry.