What is Moore's Law?

The meaning of Moore's Law, a prediction made by Gordon Moore in 1965, is that the number of transistors on a computer chip would double approximately every two years. This doubling would result in a corresponding increase in processing power and a decrease in cost per transistor. This prediction has held true for many decades and has been a driving force behind the rapid pace of technological innovation in the computer industry.

Moore's Law has had a profound impact on the development of modern computing technology, making possible the development of powerful and affordable computers, smartphones, and other devices. It has also been a key factor in the growth of the Internet and the expansion of the digital economy.

In addition to its impact on the computer industry, Moore's Law has also influenced research and development in other areas, such as robotics, biotechnology, and renewable energy, as scientists and engineers strive to achieve similar levels of exponential improvement.

Although the pace of improvement has slowed in recent years, with some experts suggesting that Moore's Law may soon reach its limits, the impact of the law will continue to be felt for many years to come. It remains an important driver of innovation and a symbol of the power of exponential progress.

Simplified Example

Moore's Law can be explained to a child as follows: Imagine you have a basket of apples and you want to see how many you can fit in it. At first, you can only fit a few apples, but as the basket gets bigger, you can fit more and more apples. Moore's Law is like the basket getting bigger, but instead of apples, it's talking about computer chips. Computer chips are like tiny baskets that hold all the information that our computers use. And just like the basket, the computer chip gets bigger and bigger, so it can hold more information, making our computers faster and better. And just like the basket, the computer chip is getting bigger and bigger all the time, so our computers are always improving.

Who Invented Moore's Law

Gordon Moore, a pioneering engineer and co-founder of Intel Corporation, gained renowned recognition as the visionary behind Moore's Law. Born in 1929, Moore's impactful prediction, forecasted the burgeoning pace of technological advancement within the semiconductor industry.

Moore's career trajectory encapsulates a profound influence on the realm of technology. His tenure at Intel not only marked the establishment of a tech giant but also cemented his legacy as a forward-thinking individual whose foresight profoundly shaped the course of the semiconductor industry. The enduring legacy of Moore's Law continues to be a guiding principle, dictating the rapid evolution and progress of modern computing technologies.

Examples

Personal Computers: One of the most significant examples of Moore's Law in action is the rapid progression of personal computers. From early desktops with limited processing power and storage capacity, to today's laptops and tablets with powerful processors, large amounts of RAM, and solid-state storage, the growth in computing power has been dramatic.

Smartphones: The smartphone industry is another example of Moore's Law. Early smartphones had limited processing power, limited memory and storage, and poor battery life. Today's smartphones, however, are incredibly powerful, with large amounts of memory, high-resolution displays, and long battery life.

Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has also benefited from the exponential growth of computing power predicted by Moore's Law. As computing power has increased, AI algorithms have become more sophisticated and have been applied to a growing number of domains, including computer vision, natural language processing, and robotics.

Related terms

• Central Processing Unit (CPU): A CPU, or central processing unit, is like the brain of a computer. It's the part that tells the computer what to do and makes sure everything runs smoothly.

• Big Tech: Big Tech is a term used to describe a group of large technology companies that have become dominant in their respective industries.