Gordon Moore, the co-founder of Intel and the man behind Moore’s Law, passed away peacefully on March 24, 2023, at his home in Hawaii. He was surrounded by his family. Along with his longtime colleague Robert Noyce, Moore founded Intel in 1968, and he played an instrumental role in the company’s growth and success. He initially served as executive vice president before becoming president in 1975.
In 1979, he was named chairman of the board and CEO, a position he held until 1987, when he relinquished the CEO role but remained chairman until 1997 when he became chairman emeritus until his retirement in 2006.
Moore’s contribution to the technology industry and his philanthropic endeavors made him a well-respected figure in Silicon Valley. He and his wife Betty established the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation in 2000, which has since donated over USD 5.1 billion to various charitable causes, particularly environmental conservation, science, and patient care improvements.
The foundation’s president Harvey Fineberg said, “Those of us who have met and worked with Gordon will forever be inspired by his wisdom, humility, and generosity.” Fineberg also added that Moore’s vision and life’s work enabled the technological advancements that shape our everyday lives.
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger expressed his admiration for Moore and how he defined the technology industry with his insight and vision. Moore’s Law, a prediction he made in 1965 that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit would double every year, inspired technologists and entrepreneurs across the decades. Today, Moore’s Law is still the driving force behind the semiconductor industry, making electronics faster, smaller, and cheaper.
Moore and Noyce also played central roles in the first commercial production of diffused silicon transistors and later the world’s first commercially viable integrated circuits at Fairchild Semiconductor, where they both worked before founding Intel. Upon striking out on their own, they hired Andy Grove as the third employee, and the three of them built Intel into one of the world’s great companies. Together they became known as the “Intel Trinity,” and their legacy continues today.
In 2022, Gelsinger announced the renaming of the Ronler Acres campus in Oregon, where Intel teams develop future process technologies, to Gordon Moore Park at Ronler Acres. The RA4 building that’s home to much of Intel’s Technology Development Group was also renamed The Moore Center along with its café, The Gordon. Gelsinger said, “I can think of no better way to honor Gordon and the profound impact he’s had on this company than by bestowing his name on this campus. I hope we did you proud today, Gordon. And the world thanks you.”
Moore’s legacy is immense and will continue to inspire generations of innovators, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists. His vision and contributions to the technology industry have shaped the world we live in today, and his generosity and dedication to improving the lives of others through philanthropy will continue to make an impact for years to come. Gordon Moore will be remembered as a brilliant scientist, astute businessperson, and philanthropist who sought to make the world better and always did the right thing.
