VisiCalc, a spreadsheet program, was the catalyst that enabled enterprises to adopt personal computers. providing the practical use case for the machines. Technology adoption often is triggered by one specific use case or capability.
So many could point to ChatGPT as the breakthrough app enabling widespread use of artificial intelligence by people as a retail application, rather than as a background feature. It is a common occurrence in computing echnology.
VisiCalc, released in 1979, was a watershed moment for personal computing. As the first electronic spreadsheet program, it provided a compelling reason for businesses to invest in personal computers. It paved the way for future spreadsheet programs like Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft Excel.
Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word, has dominated knowledge work for decades, and is a development based on early spreadsheet and word processing use cases.
In similar ways the BASIC Programming Language (Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code), developed in 1964, played a crucial role in democratizing programming, making coding accessible to a wider audience, including non-specialists.
The Unix operating system, developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, laid the groundwork for open-source development models.
Some would say the same for the Oracle database management system, considered a standard for enterprise relational database systems.
The World Wide Web, HTML and Netscape Navigator enabled the multimedia Web, making the internet experience useful to the general public.
The SABRE computerized reservation systems enabled real-time transaction processing systems for airlines, and was a forerunner of online e-commerce. Likewise, the IBM Customer Information Control System enabled real-time transaction processing.
The Java Programming Language, released by Sun Microsystems in 1995, introduced the concept of "write once, run anywhere," enabling cross-platform development and reducing the need for platform-specific code.
The Linux Kernel further enabled open source. Likewise, the Apache web server democratized web hosting, allowing more individuals and organizations to establish an online presence.
It's hard to disagree with Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO, about OpenAI's artificial intelligence influence or role. And its strategy--"insane" levels of capital investment--seem calculated to destroy the ability of would-be competitors to keep up. The analogy of an armaments race is apt.
Immediate or near-term payback is not likely, and perhaps not possible, using that strategy. The possible outcome is that most of the other would-be competitors have to concede some level of defeat as their investors punish firms for investing without reward.
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