Bill Gates' Speaking Engagement and Meeting with Jo Lernout in Brussels, 1998

One of the most influential figures in technology, Bill Gates made an important visit to Brussels in February 1998. At that time, Microsoft was actively working to integrate advanced speech and language technologies into its upcoming Windows versions and emerging smartphone platforms. This visit marked a significant milestone in those efforts. On September 11, 1997, Microsoft Corp., based in Redmond, Wash., and Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products, based in Ieper, Belgium, announced a broad strategic alliance aimed at accelerating the development of the next generation of voice-enabled computing on the Microsoft® Windows® platform.

As part of this alliance, Microsoft invested $45 million in Lernout & Hauspie (L&H) common stock, representing a minority stake in the speech technology company. Both companies agreed to share technologies and collaborate on future speech technology initiatives, setting the stage for innovations that would significantly influence the future of human-computer interaction.

In February 1998, Bill Gates traveled to Belgium to meet with Jo Lernout and to give presentations to business audiences, as well as to the Belgian Royals and top politicians.

On February 4, 1998, during this visit, as Bill Gates entered the conference hall where Jo Lernout was waiting at the table of honor for him to give a speech, a prankster unexpectedly threw a pie in his face. Bill Gates quickly changed his clothes in the restroom, borrowing the jacket of the General Manager of Microsoft Belgium. He then proceeded to deliver his speech with his usual composure, as if nothing had happened.

Bill Gates was particularly impressed by L&H's Realspeak speech synthesis technology, which he praised in various interviews and public addresses. He notably mentioned that it was the only speech synthesis he could listen to for more than five minutes, highlighting its quality and natural sound. This technology was considered a cornerstone for future advancements in AI and natural language processing.

Jo Lernout engaged in numerous discussions with Bill Gates about the future of AI, speech, and language technologies. These conversations were not only crucial for L&H but also influenced broader discussions in the tech community about the potential and direction of AI. Alongside other visionaries like Ray Kurzweil, Bill Gates and Jo Lernout explored the possibilities that advanced AI and speech technologies could offer for future generations.

The collaboration between Microsoft and L&H marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of human-computer interaction. It brought together some of the brightest minds in technology, setting the stage for innovations that continue to shape the way we interact with machines today.