Since its inception, technology has fascinated the entrepreneurs of the world. In the 20th century, that obsession moved to the hardware powering the computers of the future. In the 21st century, the fight to out upgrade competitor artificial intelligence models has become the new space race.
Many tech leaders have professed its potential for decades, often seemingly predicting the future with things like Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and machine learning.
Here are five entrepreneurs who innovated our world and how they see their AI products and others changing the world.
1. Fei-Fei Li
Co-founder and CEO of World Labs, Co-Founder AI4ALL
“AI is not just about algorithms—it’s about augmenting humanity. The most transformative applications won’t be in replacing doctors, teachers, or artists; they’ll be in empowering them. If you’re a startup, don’t ask, ‘How can AI do this job?’ Ask, ‘How can AI help people do this job better?’ That’s where the real disruption happens.”
– Fei-Fei Li: Firing Line with Margaret Hoover, PBS (May 23, 2025)
2. Bill Gates
Founder, Microsoft
“The development of AI is as fundamental as the creation of the microprocessor, the personal computer, the Internet, and the mobile phone. It will change the way people work, learn, travel, get health care, and communicate with each other. Entire industries will reorient around it. Businesses will distinguish themselves by how well they use it.”
– Gates Notes blog post, “The Age of AI Has Begun” (March 21, 2023)
3. Steve Jobs
Co-Founder, Apple
“Technology alone is not enough. It’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields the results that make our hearts sing. Machine learning isn’t just math—it’s psychology, design, and intuition. The best algorithms don’t just compute; they understand people. If you’re a small player, don’t try to out-math the big labs. Out-think them.”
– Steve Jobs: “Technology Alone Is Not Enough,” New Yorker (October 7, 2011)
4. Jensen Huang
Co-Founder, Nvidia
“We’re witnessing the birth of a new computing era. Just as the iPhone democratized mobile apps, generative AI is democratizing creation itself. Soon, every pixel, every word, every drug molecule will be touched by AI. The companies that win will be those that build the infrastructure to power this—not just the apps.”
– NVIDIA GTC Keynote: (June 10, 2022)
5. Marc Benioff
Salesforce CEO
“The future of software isn’t just code—it’s AI that anticipates what you need before you ask. The best startups don’t build tools; they build co-pilots. If you’re the underdog, your goal shouldn’t be to compete feature-for-feature with the giants. It should be to build something so intuitive, so predictive, that it feels like magic.”
– Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff Has Thoughts on AI Agents, Automation, And The Future of Your Job, Big Technology (November 27, 2024)
About the Author: Tess Danielson is a journalist and writer focusing on the intersection of technology and society.
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