Wozniak Says Apple Began in 1976 Without Wealth Goals as His 45% Stake Vanished
Updated
Updated · Fortune · May 22
Wozniak Says Apple Began in 1976 Without Wealth Goals as His 45% Stake Vanished
3 articles · Updated · Fortune · May 22
Summary
Grand Valley State University graduates heard Wozniak say he never founded Apple to get rich, but to build a personal computer that would impress fellow engineers.
Five rejections from Hewlett-Packard pushed him closer to Steve Jobs’ idea of starting a company, a detour he used to urge students to take unconventional paths.
A 45% founding stake could theoretically have made Wozniak a trillionaire, but he said he later sold much of his stock, gave shares to early employees and donated money.
At 35, Wozniak finished his Berkeley degree under the alias Rocky Raccoon Clark and told graduates they do not need their career mapped out on day one.
Wozniak advises graduates to 'think different,' but can human creativity thrive in an AI-driven world that optimizes conformity?
As AI promises efficiency, are we overlooking the hidden human cost of creating and maintaining these intelligent systems?
With companies rushing to adopt AI, who is ultimately responsible when automated systems cause widespread harm or bias?
Viral Success: Steve Wozniak’s Human-Centric AI Message Resonates with Gen Z at GVSU 2026 Commencement
Overview
In May 2026, Steve Wozniak delivered a memorable commencement speech at Grand Valley State University, captivating graduates with humor and insight. Instead of focusing on artificial intelligence, he redefined 'AI' as 'actual intelligence,' highlighting the unique value of human creativity, problem-solving, and original thinking. His lighthearted jokes, such as the one about engineers trying to make a brain, drew laughter and shifted attention from machines back to people. Wozniak’s message resonated deeply, offering reassurance to graduates facing an uncertain job market shaped by automation, and quickly went viral for its warmth and authenticity.