"They were afraid" — Shark Tank's Mark Cuban recalls public perception of tech in the 80s

Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban spoke with Jules Terpak on her Fishbowl podcast on December 17, 2024. They talked about how people felt about technology in the 1980s. Mark remembered that many people were scared of new technology, much like how some people are worried about artificial intelligence today.

Back then, people were mainly worried that machines would replace human workers. Mark's company, MicroSolutions, was one of the first to connect personal computers to local networks. Despite the benefits, many people were hesitant to try the new technology.

When Mark showed people how to connect computers, some were skeptical. They preferred to use floppy disks to transfer data. This showed how unsure people were about technology at the time.

"I'd be like, 'No, you know, you can connect these PCs together and connect them to the printer.' And there'd be guys that'd be like, 'Well, I can just carry my floppy disk from this PC to the other people,' you know? You went through this transition where they were afraid of it," stated Mark.

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Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban had to travel to Boston to receive spreadsheet training

Mark Cuban and Jules Terpak continued their conversation about the tech world in the 1980s. Mark remembered how different things were at the time as there was no internet, and not many people used computers. At that time, Mark was running his own company, MicroSolutions.

He started it when he was just 25 years old. The company helped people use new technology, like spreadsheets and word processors. But the Shark Tank investor recalled that the general public and many people working in various industries were unsure about these new tools. Some were even scared of them.

"I would go to companies and say, 'Look, you've got all these invoices and everything that you're manually tracking in ledgers, like physical ledgers. Let me show you how to use a computer,'" revealed Mark.

Shark Tank’s Mark Cuban recalled a time when he had to travel to Boston to join a training program about a popular spreadsheet software at the time called Lotus 1-2-3.

Mark expressed that the training course cost $495 in the 1980s which was not cheap for him at the time.

As Mark himself worked in the ever-expanding tech industry, he met people who were both excited and scared about new technology. Mark also recalled that he would visit different companies in different cities and show them how computers and software could make tasks easier.

According to the Shark Tank judge, the 1980s were a time of change, as people started using digital processes instead of old ways of doing things.

As Mark Cuban’s company, MicroSolutions, provided businesses with these advanced tech solutions, he said that as businesses around the world started using technology, they realized they needed to do it to stay competitive.

Shark Tank’s Mark Cuban then went on to compare how businesses adopted technology in the 1980s to how they are now using AI (artificial intelligence). Back then, companies were learning how to use technology, like personal computers and various softwares to improve their work.

Now, they are figuring out how to use AI to make their businesses better, more competitive, and more profitable.

"People are trying to figure out how to use AI, how to implement it in a way that makes them more effective and more competitive and more profitable... And I think people realize they have to do it. It was the same back then," stated Mark.

Mark Cuban remembered that the late 1980s were when people first started getting online. Companies like Prodigy and CompuServe offered internet services. Mark used CompuServe to join online discussions about technology, music, and other topics.