Dean Mung Chiang listens as Steve Wozniak expounds on one of the issues touched upon during a fireside chat Wednesday, April 17, at Elliott Hall of Music.

Elliott Hall of Music was loaded with ticketholders, who gathered to hear Wozniak’s talk on “What IF we Lose Control of Technology” with topics ranging from the founding of Apple to artificial intelligence to his personal vision for the future of technology.

Wozniak enchanted the Purdue congregates by sharing a variety of personal revelations. His favorite tech movie: The Matrix; his favorite movie about him and Apple: Pirates of Silicon Valley (calling it “very realistic”); and his major if he were in college in 2019: computer design/electrical engineering (“because I love to build things”). He also dished about his connection to Indiana: He and his wife were married in Indianapolis.

Regarding artificial intelligence, he doesn’t believe robots will ever be self-conscious enough to think like humans.

Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, addresses a question from the crowd during the Q&A period Wednesday, April 17, at Elliott Hall of Music. College of Engineering Dean Mung Chiang (L) moderated the event.

Wozniak is an inventor, engineer, programmer, philanthropist and technology entrepreneur. He and Steve Jobs co-founded Apple, which launched the personal computer revolution.

The event was part of Purdue’s Ideas Festival, at the heart of the Giant Leaps Sesquicentennial Campaign and one of its themes, “Artificial Intelligence, Algorithms and Automation.”

Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, meets with students from the Purdue Engineering Student Council (PESC), Wednesday, April 17, before his presentation in Elliot Hall.

Additional Coverage: 

• Journal and Courier
• Purdue Exponent 
• WLFI