In a 1995 interview, Bill Gates was mocked for predicting that the internet would rapidly develop and change the world.
In a memorable 1995 interview on *The Late Show with David Letterman*, Bill Gates was met with laughter.
He expressed his belief that the internet would become a major force in the future.
At that time, Gates was a prominent figure in the tech industry as the co-founder of Microsoft.
However, both the audience and Letterman responded with skepticism and amusement to his views on the internet.
Bill Gates mocked in 1995 interview after stating “internet” would rapidly develop in future
During the interview, Gates was asked about the emerging technology of the internet.
When Letterman inquired, “What about this internet thing? Do you know anything about that?”
Gates confidently responded, “Sure.”
This prompted chuckles from the crowd, indicating the general uncertainty surrounding the internet at that time.
Letterman, ever the entertainer, added humorously, “What the hell is it exactly?”
Gates went on to explain that the Internet was a platform where people could publish information, create personal homepages, and connect through electronic mail.
He said in 1995 interview: “Well, it’s become a place where people are publishing information so everybody can have their own homepage, companies are there, the latest information…
it’s wild what’s going on. You can send electronic mail to people.”
He described it as a “wild” space that was rapidly changing how we access information.
Gates confidently stated, “It is the big new thing.”
However, his enthusiasm was met with doubt from the audience and Letterman, who seemed unconvinced by the potential of the new medium.
Letterman responded with a critical remark, indicating that it was easy to mock something unfamiliar.
He referenced a recent announcement about listening to a baseball game online.
He questioned the need for the internet when radio already existed.
The audience erupted in laughter, further illustrating the prevailing attitudes toward the internet in the mid-1990s.
“But I can remember a couple of months ago, there was, like, a big breakthrough announcement that on the Internet, or on some computer deal, they were going to broadcast a baseball game.”
He continued: “You could listen to a baseball game on your computer and I just thought to myself, ‘Does radio ring a bell?'”
Bill Gates immediately clarified: “It’s not a huge difference, but you can listen to the baseball game whenever you want, too.”
Bill Gates’ prediction about the Internet was eventually accurate
Despite the mock at the moment, Gates was making predictions that would eventually prove to be incredibly accurate.
The internet was initially developed as ARPANET for military use in the 1960s.
While it was starting to enter public consciousness, many people were still unsure of its significance.
By the late 1980s, universities began adopting the Internet for research purposes.
In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee developed the World Wide Web, paving the way for today’s Internet.
Fast forward to today, and it is clear that Gates’s foresight was spot-on.
The internet has transformed nearly every aspect of modern life, from communication and entertainment to business and education.
It has reshaped how we connect and access information, making Gates’s early predictions all the more remarkable.
The clip from the interview has resurfaced over the years, especially after figures like Elon Musk shared it on social media.
What once seemed like a bold claim in 1995 is now recognized as a profound understanding of the future of technology.