Bill Gates Says Steve Jobs Once Told Him, I Wish You'd 'Take Acid' That Would Enhance Microsoft's Product Design More: 'I Envy Those Skills. I'm Not In His League'

Bill Gates earlier this week disclosed that the late Apple Inc. AAPL co-founder Steve Jobs once suggested that he should have experimented with hallucinogenic drugs to make Microsoft Corp. MSFT products more appealing.

What Happened: Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, shared this anecdote in an interview with The Independent. Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc. AAPL, was known for his innovative product designs, which he partially attributed to his use of LSD.

"Steve Jobs once said that he wished I'd take acid because then maybe I would have had more taste in my design of my products." 

Gates, who is currently worth $164 billion, said he tried recreational drugs in his younger years, including marijuana, but ceased when he began working on Microsoft with co-founder Paul Allen.

He clarified, "Another thing about my personality is that I like my mind to work and be very logical. So I stopped … because it made my mind sloppy, either during or the day afterwards."

He also acknowledged Jobs’ talents in design and marketing, admitting that they were not his strong suits.

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Gates responded to Jobs’ suggestion with a light-hearted remark, "Look, I got the wrong batch. I got the coding batch, and this guy got the marketing-design batch, so good for him.”

 "I envy those skills. I'm not in his league." 

Jobs, who passed away in 2011, had publicly expressed his belief that Gates would have been a more well-rounded individual had he experimented with drugs or gone to a religious retreat, or ashram, in his youth.

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Why It Matters: This revelation adds a new dimension to the relationship between two of the most influential figures in the tech industry. Despite their differences, Gates and Jobs had a complex relationship, as evidenced by Gates’ recent disclosure.

Jobs’ suggestion to Gates is particularly interesting given their history.

In 1997, Gates invested $150 million in Apple when the company was on the brink of bankruptcy, a move that saved the company and was publicly acknowledged by Jobs.

Gates also expressed his admiration for Jobs in a 2020 interview, highlighting Jobs’ natural charisma and ability to motivate people.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photos courtesy: Shutterstock and Apple