The Integrated Circuit
The fifth and final computing paradigm.
Working independently, Jack Kilby (at Texas Instruments) and Robert Noyce (at Fairchild Semiconductor) invented the integrated circuit. By placing multiple transistors, resistors, and capacitors onto a single monolithic piece of semiconductor material, they created the modern microchip.
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- In Kurzweil's model, this marks the beginning of the Fifth Paradigm of computing—the paradigm that gave birth to Moore's Law and is still driving exponential growth today.
- Before the IC, engineers faced the "Tyranny of Numbers"—computers required so many individual components hand-soldered together that they became impossible to build without breaking.
- Robert Noyce would later leave Fairchild to co-found Intel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was The Integrated Circuit?
Working independently, Jack Kilby (at Texas Instruments) and Robert Noyce (at Fairchild Semiconductor) invented the integrated circuit. By placing multiple transistors, resistors, and capacitors onto a single monolithic piece of semiconductor material, they created the modern microchip.
When did The Integrated Circuit happen?
The Integrated Circuit: 1958 CE.
Why does The Integrated Circuit matter?
The fifth and final computing paradigm.
Sources & Further Reading
Cite This Page
AskHistoryAI. “The Integrated Circuit.” AskHistoryAI — Interactive Timeline of Everything. Updated 2026-09-11. https://askhistoryai.com/event/tech-ic/
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