What Would Steve Jobs Think About OpenAI’s ChatGPT?
Steve Jobs, the pioneering cofounder of Apple, has left a lasting impact on the tech industry with his groundbreaking ideas and visionary perspective. Even 14 years posthumously, his presence is still significant, particularly regarding conversations surrounding new technologies such as artificial intelligence. As Apple navigates its AI advancements, notably with the constraints of Siri, many speculate on how Jobs would have viewed OpenAI’s ChatGPT and what path he might have taken Apple down in relation to AI.
During a speech in 1985 at Lunds University in Sweden, Jobs made a prophetic remark that seems to anticipate the core of ChatGPT. He articulated a wish for an interactive resource that could embody the perspectives of great thinkers like Aristotle, enabling future generations not just to read their writings but also to engage with them through inquiries and responses. This vision closely mirrors what ChatGPT provides today—a platform that compiles knowledge from diverse sources, allowing users to extract insights and pose questions in a manner reminiscent of human dialogue.
In 1985, Jobs had recently exited Apple following a disagreement with then-CEO John Sculley. Despite the obstacles Apple was encountering at that time, Jobs remained committed to transformative technologies. His ambition for an interactive computational tool that enhances education and comprehension is realized in platforms like ChatGPT, which represent the potential he envisioned for technology to fundamentally change how we retrieve and interact with information.
Reflecting on Jobs’ contributions, it’s fascinating to ponder how he might have woven AI into Apple’s framework. His focus on user-friendly design and experience indicates that he would have emphasized making AI approachable and advantageous for users. Though we can only hypothesize, it’s evident that Jobs’ progressive vision continues to motivate and mold the technological realm, urging us to delve into the possibilities of AI and its significance in our lives.
