Jerry Kaplan
Jerry Kaplan is an American author, entrepreneur, and computer scientist. His expertise in the areas of artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and robotics has been highly sought after in Silicon Valley. He is best known as the founder of three high-tech companies – GO, OnSale, and Coursera – and an advisor at several venture capital firms.
Born on October 7, 1951, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Jerry Kaplan was an extraordinary child who exhibited a passion for science and technology from an early age. In high school, he was so ahead of his peers in subjects like mathematics that he was able to take a year-and-a-half long college math course. After finishing high school, he accepted a scholarship at Johns Hopkins University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in pure and applied mathematics.
Following his graduation, Kaplan began his career in information technology, working on various projects in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He is recognized as being one of the original pioneers of the so-called “Third Wave” of information technology. During this time, Kaplan helped found a number of companies, and also became deeply involved in artificial intelligence and computer science research, consulting, and development.
In 1984, Jerry Kaplan founded his first startup, GO. Through GO, he created the “natural language interface”, which revolutionized computer-initiated conversations. In 1993, Kaplan successfully took GO to an initial public offering, and it became the world’s first online shopping mall in 1994.
In 1996, he founded OnSale with his co-founder, Jeffrey Bagby. OnSale was a pioneer in the online auction industry and was acquired by eBay in 2001. Following that, Kaplan served as an executive for eBay for a few years before returning to the tech industry.
In the late 2000s, Jerry Kaplan decided to focus his energies on the field of artificial intelligence and robotics. He founded the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and co-founded a startup called Coursera. Coursera provides free online college courses to anyone around the world. Kaplan currently serves as a Venture Partner at Accelerator Ventures, a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage technology companies.
Whether as an author, entrepreneur, or computer scientist, Jerry Kaplan’s contributions to the field of artificial intelligence and robotics are significant. In 2014, Kaplan released his first book, entitled ‘Humans Need Not Apply: A Guide to Wealth and Work in the Age of Artificial Intelligence’. In this book, he explores the potential for machine intelligence to replace human labour in our economy, discussing the implications on wealth, jobs, and more.
The future of artificial intelligence looks bright, and individuals like Jerry Kaplan are paving the way for a new era of technological development. His pioneering efforts and commitment to leading innovation have made him one of the leading figures in the technology world today.
