Bill Gates Called Steve Jobs A 'Genius In A Way You Can't Explain,' Says 'I Don't Know Anybody Who's Just Like Him' While Reflecting on Their Decades-Long Collaboration and Rivalry

Benzinga · 05/08 12:27

Microsoft Corp. Co-founder Bill Gates, in a conversation with Jay Shetty, reflected on his decades-long relationship with Apple Inc. Co-founder Steve Jobs, labelling him a "genius in a way you can’t explain."

What Happened: During the 2023 interview, Gates spoke frankly about his professional and personal history with Jobs, reminiscing about their early collaborations on the Apple II and Macintosh projects, noting, "I worked with both Jobs and Wozniak to get that done." Their paths crossed many times, with Microsoft even writing software for Jobs' later projects.

Gates also commended Apple's growth after Jobs': "It's unbelievable what a great job he did, because Apple went from being on the way to dying to being the world's most valuable company."

Pondering on Jobs' one-of-a-kind talents, Gates said, "He was just genius in a way you can’t explain… His taste in design and user interface and even his intuition about people—he was just genius." Gates contrasted these skills with his own more technical expertise.

See Also: Steve Jobs Expected Instant Clarity, Judged Ideas Like A First-Time Customer, Says Former Apple Engineer Behind Autocorrect

Why It Matters: Gates' comments add a new dimension to the simplistic "rivals" narrative often projected onto Jobs and him. Despite the competition between them, Gates spoke about Jobs with admiration: "In some ways he’s more singular… I don't know somebody who's just like Steve Jobs."

This is not the only time Gates has spoken highly of Jobs. In 2020, he said it would be a "gross oversimplification" to compare Elon Musk to "genius" Steve Jobs, remarking that "you wouldn’t walk into a room and confuse them." Gates has also confessed to feeling “so jealous” of Jobs’ renowned ability to captivate people, calling it a defining trait that drove Jobs’ success as a leader. Earlier this year, Gates shared an anecdote about how Jobs suggested that he do hallucinogenic drugs to have "more taste" when designing Microsoft products.

In 1997, as Apple faced bankruptcy, Gates intervened with a generous $150 million investment that salvaged the company, for which Jobs thanked him publicly.

Read Next: Steve Jobs Warned The Difference Between Good And Great Software Engineers Is ’50‑To‑1,’ Admitted Firing Non-Performers Was ‘Very Painful’ Yet Necessary

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