27/05/2026
Wozniak has offered a new definition for AI. What definition? First, who is Wozniak? Let’s find out.
The face of Apple is Steve Jobs. But there’s another Steve — Steve Wozniak. It was this Steve duo that founded Apple.
Jobs was the face of Apple. Wozniak was the brain. Jobs was not an engineer. Every nerve, muscle, and atom of Wozniak was engineering.
It was Wozniak who actually “built” the early Apple computers. Let’s affectionately call him “Woz.”
Woz was one of the few people Jobs truly respected. Jobs would listen to whatever he said. As for Wozniak, he had little interest in money or position. Within a few years, he freed himself from Apple.
Why?
The full story is in the book *Apple: A Success Story*. (I swear on Sami, this is not an advertisement.... 🙂)
Now let’s come to the AI debate.
Recently, Woz attended a graduation ceremony at Grand Valley State University in the U.S. state of Michigan.
A few lines from Woz’s commencement speech there have impressed many people.
“As far as I’m concerned, AI means Actual Intelligence. And that exists in humans.”
Applause. Woz continues.
“How long do you think it takes to make a human brain?” asks Woz.
A brief pause.
Then he answers it himself: “Nine months.”
More applause. Laughter.
There are a few reasons why these lines have gained importance.
Last week, another incident happened. Former Google chairman Eric Schmidt — also a highly accomplished expert.
He delivered a speech at the University of Arizona during a graduation ceremony. He spoke in the tone that the future belongs to AI and that AI is going to swallow up jobs.
The young graduates did not receive this well. They voiced their displeasure loudly. The event organizers had not expected this at all. Neither had Eric.
Another college. Another graduation ceremony. This time, the organizers caused a major problem through one particular decision.
Usually at graduation ceremonies, the names of graduates are read out one by one. Each student walks onto the stage and receives their degree. This has been the tradition since forever.
But why use “humans” to read out names? Let’s do it with AI, they decided. Yet another example proving that people with overenthusiastic curiosity exist all over the world.
At first, the AI pronounced one or two names “clearly.” Then it began mumbling in its own strange way. Some names were not called at all.
No idea what model they used or what the plan was. Surely they must have done some kind of “cost cutting.”
Chaos at the ceremony. We learned one more thing that should not be done with AI. The administration somehow managed to smooth things over with explanations.
Pause.
Back to Wozniak.
You should definitely follow him. Not just for AI — Woz’s views on technology are always interesting. He’s also a fun personality.
A few weeks ago, Wozniak had expressed some other thoughts about AI.
Many things created by AI feel dry. At times they possess machine-like precision. But human nature itself is not precise. Even the imperfections in the things we create add beauty to them, he said.
Woz is very clear about one thing: work alone is not the purpose of human beings. Curiosity and initiative are what make humans unique. AI has not reached that stage. It’s unclear whether it ever will.
“If Woz had continued at Apple...” many of the criticisms directed at Apple today might have disappeared.
History does not welcome “what if” thinking. There is no meaning in it. Whatever happened, happened for the best. You can say the next few lines yourself.
03/05/2026