Moore’s Law Turns 50

Anyone in the technology industry is likely familiar with the concept of Moore’s Law: that computer chips will double in complexity about every two years and become smaller, cheaper, and more energy-efficient with each advancement.  This concept was proposed by Gordon Moore, a co-founder of Intel, 50 years ago, and is still holding true; a fact that is surprising even to Moore himself, who is now in his 80’s and living in Hawaii.  The first transistor, built in 1947, was a half-inch piece; now more than 100 million transistors can fit on the head of a pin.

Keeping pace with Moore’s Law is something that has changed the face of the tech industry and turned it into a fast-paced, high pressure field to go in to, and those who can’t keep up fall by the wayside.  There are now only 4 companies left standing that build the most advanced computer chips: Intel, GlobalFoundries, Samsung, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC).  These four companies feel the pressure of Moore’s Law and are in constant search of the next innovation.  Intel alone employs over 1,000 Ph.D.’s, more than the engineering faculties of Stanford, Berkeley, and MIT combined (source: CNET).  They work around the clock, and the factories are never closed.  When a successful new innovation does occur, there is no time to celebrate; someone else may already be close to the next advancement.

Staying on the cutting edge of the technology world and keeping up with the pace is also an extremely expensive endeavor, requiring billions of dollars of state-of-the-art equipment, huge facilities, and top-quality personnel.  This fact protects the major players from having to worry much about startups joining the ranks.  The pressure to keep moving forward is tied almost exclusively to falling behind and dropping out of the race, as so many already have.

Moore’s Law will eventually end; there will come a time when there are no more big breakthroughs to be made.  When that may happen, however, is entirely unknown, so, in the meantime, the race continues.

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