1995 was a real turning point in bringing the Internet to consumer use. Two years ago, the Mosaic web browser was released and quickly became a popular app. Companies and individual users have started to create websites where they can present their various content online.
This included a web directory launched in early 1994, which later became Yahoo. In late 1994, the even more popular Netscape browser was released. In the midst of these was Microsoft, which planned to release the Windows 95 operating system in late 1995.
28 years ago, on May 26, 1995, the then Microsoft CEO Bill Gates issued a statement and instructed all the employees of the company to make products that use the internet. Gates’ statement was called “The Internet Tidal Wave” and is still considered one of the most famous business statements in history.
Gates stated that a combination of factors such as increased computer use, better internet infrastructure and faster online networks will help reduce the cost of internet connections for both businesses and consumers.
This statement contains many predictions that have come true. Gates stated that almost every computer will be used to connect to the Internet and that the Internet will greatly affect the purchase of computers for several years. He also predicted that faster broadband internet would allow people to make video calls to each other.
Gates also predicted that the CD-ROM software business would be greatly impacted by the internet. It was at that time that CD-ROM rather than floppy disk was becoming more common in software distribution. Indeed, it did not take long for this industry to disappear after a while.
Microsoft has made mistakes too.
Microsoft also made some mistakes in the transition process to the internet. It had a chance to have a leading search engine, but lost this battle with Google, which was launched in early 1998. Apple saw the need for an internet-based store for music and video downloads, and as a result created iTunes.
However, Microsoft has managed to maintain its internet-focused plans. In fact, in 2000, due to acts of unfair competition, a federal judge ordered Microsoft to be split into two companies. But that never happened because Microsoft struck a deal with the US government in 2001.
And now it’s artificial intelligence
28 years later, Microsoft appears to have reached another milestone in its business, fully embracing the potential of AI for search, operating systems, productivity software, and more. At Microsoft’s Build 2023 event, a large part of its announcements focused on artificial intelligence products. In particular, the Windows Copilot AI assistant is scheduled to be released later this year.
It is inevitable that Microsoft will encounter competitors similar to Google in this age of artificial intelligence, as it did in 1995. But it is a fact that this time, it has taken an important step in not being left behind with Bing. Let’s see if the company has been able to create the right strategy for adopting artificial intelligence. We’ll see with time…
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