Jack Kilby

Invention American 1923 – 2005 402 quotes

An American electrical engineer who, along with Robert Noyce, invented the integrated circuit while working at Texas Instruments.

Most quoted

"I don't recall ever hearing Jack Kilby speak in a way that would be described as 'philosophically deep' or 'existentially profound.' His focus was always on the practical application of technology."

— from Historical accounts and interviews with colleagues

"The integrated circuit was not an invention in the sense of a single 'aha!' moment, but rather the culmination of a lot of hard work and many small steps."

— from Nobel Lecture, 2000

"We were trying to solve the 'tyranny of numbers' problem—the fact that as circuits became more complex, the number of connections became unmanageable."

— from Technical Explanation

All quotes by Jack Kilby (402)

The integrated circuit has democratized technology.

Social Impact

I am optimistic about the future because I believe in the power of human ingenuity.

Optimistic Outlook