Paul Allen Quotes

“The promise of artificial intelligence and computer science generally vastly outweighs the impact it could have on some jobs in the same way that, while the invention of the airplane negatively affected the railroad industry, it opened a much wider door to human progress.”

“It turns out, if you go 1,000 feet down in the ocean, it's really dark, and the animals are really strange, but if you put on some Pink Floyd, it's fantastic.”

“I choose optimism. I hope to be a catalyst not only by providing financial resources but also by fostering a sense of possibility: encouraging top experts to collaborate across disciplines, challenge conventional thinking, and figure out ways to overcome some of the world's hardest problems.”

“Part of life has to be about enjoying life and having different experiences, especially if you're with friends and you're on an adventure on a boat or a submarine - it's a lot of fun.”

“Continuity is important in sports.”

“The best museums and museum exhibits about science or technology give you the feeling that, hey, this is interesting, but maybe I could do something here, too.”

“Recording studios are interesting; a lot of people say - and I agree - that you should have a lot of wood in a recording studio. It gets a kind of a sweeter sound.”

“It's really amazing to stand in front of a work you haven't seen before and be almost overwhelmed by its beauty and the vision and execution of the artist.”

“In order to be truly intelligent, computers must understand - that is probably the critical word.”

“As a species, we've always been discoverers and adventurers.”

“In my experience, each failure contains the seeds of your next success — if you are willing to learn.”

“I'm always interested in finding ways to innovate… It's a blend; it's not a point focus.”

“What do you think about football?”

“It's weird to look at bits of code you wrote 40 years ago and think, 'That led to where Microsoft is today.'”

“It's like a shift lever in a car. You want it to work a certain way. I think Microsoft has gotten much better at listening to the marketplace.”

“I was transfixed. I sensed that you could do things with this machine.”

“Despite being so smart and so powerful, he was extraordinarily humble, and contributed to numerous ideas and projects with zero fanfare. We'll miss him terribly.”