The Hidden Debt That Apple Owes to the CIA

In 1986, the CIA made an unannounced visit to the headquarters of Steve Jobs's new computer company, NeXT. At the time, the Cold War was in full swing and President Ronald Reagan was allocating significant funds to the Pentagon for new technology, including missile defense and spy satellites. It was within this context that some members of the intelligence community recognized the significance of the computing revolution taking place in Silicon Valley and recognized the importance of tapping into it.

Joe Romello and Jeff Harris were two CIA employees working on a classified initiative known as "Program B" to develop satellite reconnaissance. They sought to meet with Steve Jobs, the founder of NeXT, to discuss "defense-related issues, specifically intelligence." Though they couldn't disclose the details of their request, they were interested in meeting Jobs to explore potential collaboration.

Why Jobs, a countercultural figure who had practiced Buddhism and taken LSD, would become involved with spies may seem perplexing. However, upon closer examination, it becomes apparent that the deep roots of the relationship between the CIA and Apple played a crucial role in shaping the company's operating system.

In February of 1986, Jobs also acquired the computer graphics division of George Lucas's Lucasfilms, which resulted in the creation of the Pixar Image Computer. This acquisition came with an unexpected piece of technology – Pixar had been collaborating with ESL, a Silicon Valley defense company, to build a custom computer for intelligence analysts to assess satellite images.

Jobs eventually met with ESL's president, Robert Kohler, who recognized the potential of NeXT's computer. Kohler explained that the purpose of the NeXT computer, originally designed for college students and researchers, was similar to what the intelligence community did behind closed doors. Romello and Harris never got a meeting with Jobs at NeXT headquarters during this first visit.

However, when Romello met with Jobs in New York City, Jobs declined to provide any further information about the CIA's intentions, stating, "Don't tell me anything that I'm not supposed to know because I won't remember to forget."

Jobs, however, was willing to grant the CIA access to his computers in exchange for a deal. He wanted to buy NeXT's workstations in large quantities for an undisclosed customer and requested 20,000 units, with two modifications: a faster chip from Motorola and a special graphics card from Intel. The CIA acted as a front company, installing the modified chips and visual processors in the workstations. NeXT eventually received a top-secret security clearance, allowing Jobs to visit classified facilities.

This little-known episode highlights the strong ties between the CIA and Apple, which not only contributed to the development of the company's operating system but also paved the way for future collaborations between Silicon Valley and the Pentagon.