These days, I am busy working on technologies to detect and treat cancer. I thought I was done with work, but I could not resist having another opportunity to make a difference. As I approach 80 (79 next month), I am sure this is my last chance.
Thinking about the future always makes me think about the past. Today, I remember the creation of residential broadband, in which I played an important role. It is 30 years since we (Intel) introduced a cable modem at the cable industry’s most important conference, the Western Cable Show. About a year earlier, while leading Intel’s efforts in partnership with Microsoft and General Instruments to develop an interactive cable TV set-top box, I realized that the TV would not be the interactive device in the home. It would be the personal computer. By that time, about 20% of homes in the USA already had computers. The number of homes would grow to over 60% by 2003 and over 80% in 2013. But to truly make the personal computer the interactive device in the home, I knew that it would take an always-on, always-connected high-speed network.
I had put together a project inside Intel with General Instruments but left out Microsoft to develop a cable modem. A few other companies were also working on cable modems, Zenith and LANCity. At that conference, we announced that we had entered into trials with Comcast and Viacom (who had a cable business at the time). Putting Intel’s weight behind this effort was essential in aligning the cable (and Telco) industries, as well as key technology companies like Cisco and HP.
It would take seven more years to reach the first million homes in the USA. We also worked with the phone company to develop DSL technology. I write extensively about this in my book, The Flight of a Wild Duck, Part III. If you are interested in this history, I think this section of my book is worth reading.
We achieved high speed, always on and always connected. And I think you would agree that it was transformative.
What would the impact of eliminating cancer be? In terms of longevity, it would add more than three years to the average person’s life span. But more importantly, it would add many years to the health span. So is this possible?
I think so, driven by the early detection of cancer using AI-based methods and personalized treatments such as training a patient’s immune system to detect and kill their specific cancer. I hope this will happen a lot faster than the creation of residential broadband. Not only do I want to be around for this, but I want to play a role in making it happen.