Jobs Suggested to Bill Gates that LSD Experience Could Have Benefited Microsoft

Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, has openly shared how he struggled to fully enjoy the triumphs of the ever-expanding software empire, even after becoming a billionaire. Gates confessed that it wasn’t until the late ’90s that he felt at ease. “I wouldn’t say that I felt comfortable that we were successful until about 1998 or so,” Gates noted. “Up until then, I thought I was only one mistake away from disaster.”

Reflecting on his interactions with the late Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, Gates shared some intriguing anecdotes about how Jobs viewed his leadership style and product launches. In an interview with The Independent, Gates mentioned a particularly memorable remark from Jobs (via Fortune):

“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.”

To this, Gates humorously retorted, “Look, I got the wrong batch.”

The bond between Bill Gates and Steve Jobs can best be described as a complex friendship. Gates not only played a role in developing software for Apple’s initial computers, but he also came to Apple’s rescue in 1997. He provided a life-saving investment of up to $150 million when the iPhone maker was on the brink of bankruptcy.

Jobs was renowned for his unparalleled design and marketing talents, which were evident in the launch of iconic devices like the iPhone and iMac. While Gates may not have been as lauded for design, his technical skills and vision were unmatched. Gates once reflected:

“I got the coding batch, and this guy got the marketing-design batch, so good for him. Our talents—apart from being vigorous leaders pushing boundaries—didn’t really overlap.”

Meanwhile, Microsoft was heavily investing in cloud computing services, a venture that has significantly contributed to the company’s staggering success and its market valuation soaring past $3 trillion. The tech titan was also laser-focused on its Microsoft Office suite, which includes popular programs like Word and Excel. Despite their worldwide user base in the billions, Gates’ product launches were not something that particularly impressed Jobs.

Interestingly, Gates admitted to The Independent that he experimented with drugs in his pre-Microsoft days. “I thought maybe I would look cool, and some girl would think that was interesting. It didn’t succeed, so I gave it up,” Gates concluded with a chuckle.